This article has been contributed by Tess Pennington, author of The Prepper’s Cookbook. After joining the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management & response. You can visit her web site at www.ReadyNutrition.com and create a complete family preparedness plan with her FREE series 52 Weeks to Preparedness.
For several years now many economic forecasters and trenders have warned the general public of a looming economic collapse – all we needed was a catalyst as a kick start. It seems that this year’s active winter season coupled with the west coast’s extreme droughts could be the straw that will break the camel’s back.
According to www.zerohedge.com, 2014 food prices are up 19%. In fact, “U.S. foodstuffs is the best performing asset this year.” Due to the crippling drought that swept the west coast, a significant amount of our food supply could not be grown. Consequently, our food prices are increasing because of the demand for food. The more events that cause instability in our economy, the harder it will be for households to provide for themselves.
(source: Zero Hedge)
Start Insulating Yourself from an Unstable Economy
Those who have taken steps to insulate themselves from the instability of the markets have made prudent choices to invest in their future through lucrative investments. Dry goods, precious metals, land and skills are some of the hard assets that many economist such as Gerald Celente and Marc Faber stress.
While the ramifications of an impending economic or currency collapse are life alteringly severe, my family’s personal preparedness plans have always been focused on a well-rounded approach that would ensure we’re ready for anything that gets thrown our way – not just an economic crisis. The strategy that we try to employ considers as many variables as possible.
- Natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, flood, solar flare
- Man-made calamities like currency hyperinflation, cyber-attack, EMP detonation, nuclear fallout or global conflict
- Personal emergencies like a job loss, injury or over-extension of credit
Preparing for these type of setbacks requires a bit of organization, a plan of action, necessary investments such as preparedness supplies and long term investments (hard assets such as food, land, precious metals, etc.), and a controlled financial budget. I have created a 52-Week preparedness program that will help lay out the fundamentals of my family’s approach to preparedness. To insulate yourself from longer term events such as currency hyperinflation and global conflicts you want to focus your efforts on the following.
- Get out of debt. Those in Washington believe the debt crisis can be inflated away. We don’t have the luxury to think this way. In fact, they are making a common mistake that many households make. They are failing to see the signs that their financial budgets are skewed. By ignoring the problem, they have put our well being in jeopardy. Pay attention to what is going on in the economy: the the economy is stagnant, jobs are becoming scarcer, the middle class is dwindling and now food prices are beginning to sky rocket that will no doubt bring you hardship later on. This is not signs of a thriving market and certainly no time to carry debt, so start taking steps to eliminate it while there is still time. Downgrade your cable package, drastically cut unnecessary spending, start cooking homemade-from-scratch dinners (you’ll save money and will use your food pantry investment.
- Invest in an emergency pantry. Did you know that nearly 23% of your grocery bill is spent on processed foods and sweets? Rather than spending it on GMO filled junk, you can use that money to invest in a food pantry. One of the best decisions my family made into our future livelihood was to eliminate our debt by simplifying our lifestyle, and by creating a food pantry based on the 25 most popular pantry goods. We looked at purchasing our foodstuffs as an investment and knew this common sense approach is what would help us stay afloat if we ran into financial or economic issues. Through this small investment of time and resources, we are consuming today at yesterday’s prices.
- Grow a garden. If food prices are rising, this is the time to grow your own food. Not to mention reduce your intake of chemical fertilizers and GMO foods by creating an organic garden filled with heirloom quality fruits and vegetables. I am a firm believer of knowing where your food source is coming from. Likewise, heirloom seeds are an invaluable commodity and hold the key to long term sustainability – and survival, in some cases. Investing in these meager seeds can hold the power to sustained longevity and health.
- Invest in precious metals. If you have the money to invest, precious metals are a very lucrative investment that will retain their value. Throughout the history of man, precious metals are what has made the world go around. Many start their precious metal collection buying junk silver and silver coins. Silver allows you to make modest, weekly investments of anywhere from $5 to $50 dollars and still build a store of wealth. A single ounce of gold stores more value than silver. If you need portability for a large amount of wealth, gold coins and bars will be your primary precious metals investment. With less than a pound of coins in your purse or backpack you can conveniently move $25,000 in value. When buying gold or silver, buy from reputable sources like your local coin shop or an online dealer like Apmex or Kitco. Read more about this type of investment.
- Purchase fertile land. Trend forecaster Gerald Celente is an advocate of self-sufficiency and the survival mentality. Marc Faber and Jim Rogers have suggested that buying farmland and learning to work that land will not only make you rich in the future, but help you to provide for yourself. These economists, forecasters and financial advisors are not just blowing smoke and arbitrarily recommending you learn to be more self-sufficient. They see a trend, globally, and that trend suggests an inflationary environment that will not only cause increased prices for essential goods, but the possibility that those essential goods you are used to acquiring with little effort today will be much more difficult to come by in the future.
- Start a bartering community. Given our free falling economy, what better way to trade skills and save a dollar than by the barter system? This is also a great time to branch out into the community with likeminded individuals. Look into barter groups in your area and check out these tips to help you barter better.
It’s Not If, But When
We’ve all heard the reports and seen the tell-tale signs of the storm brewing on the horizon. As a whole, we cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the ever-growing issue of our economic instability. Start taking steps to lead a more self-reliant lifestyle and invest into your future wellbeing. The tips provided above can help you gain a greater edge in readying yourself for the uncertain future.
***********
Tess Pennington is the author of The Prepper’s Cookbook: 300 Recipes to Turn Your Emergency Food into Nutritious, Delicious, Life-Saving Meals. When a catastrophic collapse cripples society, grocery store shelves will empty within days. But if you follow this book’s plan for stocking, organizing and maintaining a proper emergency food supply, your family will have plenty to eat for weeks, months or even years. Visit her web site at ReadyNutrition.com.
Do you have a question for Tess about this article or another topic? Visit her Facebook Page and join a great community discussion.
7. Learn how to field dress a zombie.
you probably meant this as a funny, BUT with the Ebola (new flesh eating strain)outbreak in Africa and other things you maybe more correct than you know!
Yes. And no.
Day,and night.
Black and white.
do you smoke or par boil Zombie…. and dry rub or sauce…
Special delivery for those who “bless” the genocidal Master Race:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/secrets-about-suspected-israeli-theft-of-u-s-weapons-grade-nuclear-material-declassified/5375720
ying and yang ?
The blame for the ruination of this country can be laid squarely at the feet of the State and it’s central bank (the Fed).
Nixon’s proclamation in August 1971 that the US would default on its obligation to pay its international debts in gold was the final nail in the American coffin; it was a purely political decision. It was done simply for the sake of avoiding a recession before the 72’ election. Politics!
Free market capitalism is dead in America because it has been fatally corrupted by twenty years of Wall Street favoring by the Fed, and over forty years of worldwide floating money and central bank monetary inflation. Money printing!
The States central bank (the Fed) is a serial bubble machine. It has now fully corrupted money markets and capital markets; there is nothing left that passes for honest price discovery — only the machinations of banksters at the Fed.
The people responsible for this crime against the American people aren’t stupid. They know what they’ve done. Why do you think they created the DHS and ordered 2.2 billion round of ammunition? Because the stastus quo must be preserved!
yourmotherwaswrong
Your synopsis wins the comment of the day!
Damn well said.
deport WDC CORPORATION…..and the Federal Reserve CORPORATION(See Dun & Bradstreet for proof).
apache54,
No joke, a few days ago there was a report of a potential Ebola virus case in Canada. I am far more concerned about the virus with hemorrhagic symptoms that Canadian health officials discovered and later claimed was negative. In my world ANYTHING that even looks like a hemorrhagic virus is extremely bad as there is no cure for it with a 25-90% mortality rate!
news.yahoo.com/possible-ebola-case-canada-health-official-232704327.html;_ylt=A0LEVzZQxjVTOjUAMhJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzMWFoNDhxBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDM3OF8x
Yeah, did you read the book (true story about Ebola), “the Hot Zone”? Stephen King said it was the scariest book he ever read.
Anon,
I’ve read both The Hot Zone and The Cobra Event books from Richard Preston. Two of the scariest and unnerving novels I’ve read to date. The scariest part is that The Hot Zone is non-fiction, but The Cobra Event is fiction, and they are both equally plausible potential biological disasters waiting to happen. Great books. Thanks.
Nasty.
Off topic sort of:
A week or so ago I mentioned that I was making some bread from hard wheat berry. There was some feed back in which it was suggested to partially germinate the wheat berries first. Thanks for the suggestion, it worked out nicely.
Here’s what I did. I used hard red wheat berries.
2 One pint mason jars – 1/3 berries, 3/4 water, 30 hour soak in a cupboard.
poured into sift and rinsed well
dried in a dehydrator at 95 degrees for about 8 hours
Ground in a Krups coffee bean grinder (19.00 from amazon), Sifted from the grinder to a bowl and then ground a second time.
Made bread using a basic wheat bread recipe. I used all wheat flour. Came out to be some of the best bread that I’ve made.
Again thanks for the suggestion on germinating the wheat berries (seeds) first.
Thanks for sharing. Good to know.
Rick
Way back when in another life we use to do the same thing with garbanzo beans. It was dang tasty too.
THIRTY HOURS soak or THIRTY MINUTES soak? (for the wheat berries).
Thirty hours, I soaked them until I could see some of them starting to sprout.
Rick,
Thanks for that I will have to try. Then pass on to others.
Connie
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/sprouted-grains-zmrz12djzmar.aspx#axzz2vbjSBBQH
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/essene-bread-sprouted-grain.aspx#axzz2vbjSBBOA
Thats pretty good isnt it,,,
Actually dont have to dry them, moisture will bake off, whats real good is to add sunflower seeds and soaked germinated whole oats too,,
Make yourself a sour dough starter and use that instead of yeast, the flavor is awesome, just put some raw honey on it, reat treat!
Ill find the article on the sour dough, think it was on Mother Earth News
Heres the sour dough info
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/sourdough-bread-recipe-guide-zmrz13djzmat.aspx#axzz2vbjSBXIM
Kula, BE VERY CAREFUL about Mother Earth News. Their “prepper information” has a socialist slant to it.
Luckily there’s nothing socialist about a recipe for homemade bread…unless of course you have to share your ingredients with the community…
Sixpack now that was funny. But Cuz is right, I use to subscribe to Mother Earth, had a lot of good info, but they are SuperLibs, no my kind of people.
I know, I don’t read much of what is there, but I have found useful info once in a while…you’ve got to take what you can use and leave the rest…just like anything else.
yeah, their article about not having children ‘being green’ and environmentally responsible really ticked me off.
Rick,
That post rocked….. thanks
YIKES
Ill stick with veggies!
I was shooting on BLM land this morning and 2 separate groups of hikers called the cops on me. The police came and I asked them if they wanted to join in on the shooting. The cop was cool and I continued to shoot. I will now shoot at the same location as much as possible. I think the hikers were retirees from kalifornia.
Let me know where, I’ll join you.
Near Sparks, Nevada. The hikers r passive aggressive. There are many other areas to hike where no one shoots. They hike in a known shooting area just to be jerks. One lady was very “bossy” and told me I was not allowed to shoot there. I continued to shoot of course.
Love it Shooter. I do the same here in Gardnerville as much as possible. They come here from Commifornia and then complain they are afraid of my guns. I try to use my exploding targets, that really gets them going. Never fails to have law enforcement arrive to inform them they are no longer in a communist country when crossing the boarder into Nevada. You’ll need to be just a little more specific then close to sparks though. We shoot in the pine nut area in Gardnerville. We’re close, maybe we should get together at some point.
I shoot behind the new softball fields off vista blvd. exit off i80 onto vista drive north about 8 miles. The softball fields are on the right. Behind the fields is BLM land. There’s no shooting right next to the fields but go another 200 yards and its good to go. Do you do cowboy action shooting?
I’ve been out that way a few times, a friend owns a house near there. There’s a regular gun range a little farther out but it seems to be closed a lot for the Sheriff’s deputies. Sorry no lever action rifles, only A/R’s and my FN Fal 308 for sniping. I like to practice long range 600 – 1000 with exploding targets. Great way to know your on target without a spotting scope. Storm on its way this weekend as you know but lets work out a meet and greet fire off some rounds.
Are hikers in season and if so how much are the tags…..
Gardnerville seems to be a nice part of Nevada. How is the illegal situation there?
A good number of illegals and they vote democrat
Can you use the Boone and Crockett system to score hikers/greenies? Who holds the record? Do they taste like chicken?
Only kiddin’
Aussie
Shooter, if I was in NV, I would’ve joined you. The “bossy” lady would only have one time to run her stupid mouth off to me and I would’ve just racked the slide on Bertha. that would shut her up in a NY minute.
She made me enjoy shooting more as crazy as that sounds. The area I shoot in is a dead end. There’s no reason to go there that’s why people shoot there. Someone also put a big rock in the path to try and block cars because only shooters drive that way. I enjoyed moving the rock and exercising my rights to shoot on federal land. I picture the bossy lady planning how she’s going to stop me from shooting. I invite anyone in Northern CA or NV to shoot at golden eagle in Sparks, NV. It’s very interactive with anti gun kaliforia retiree’s who want to avoid CA tax and live in Nevada. They move to Nevada because its easier to live in than kaliforia but they want Nevada people to act like kl kaliforia people.
Then they drive up to Tahoe to grocery shop since there is tax on food in Nevada but not Calif. As long as there is a hill for a backstop and clear lines of sight so you can see anyone walking in range what is their problem with shooting? You have to be able to see. I had a real scary experience at Horse Thief Canyon in san Diego because we did not know that the road looped back around and could not be seen. Don’t shoot if you cannot see where the round will end up.
I hike as well as shoot, on National Forest and BLM land. Where I hike on BLM land people do target practice, usually in the same location, but sometime they shoot long range across ravines. So if I’m hiking with my dog and they’re shooting, I holler at my dogs, and I also carry a police whistle which is for signaling if lost, but comes in handy when people are shooting where they can’t see me, I give a few sharp whistles just to let them know I’m there. Shooters and Hikers can coexist. Trekker Out!
I suggest that those ” Kommiefornians” are not Californians,but bozo’s from Frisco. We don’t like them here on the East side either.
I suggest that those ” Kommiefornians” are not Californians,but bozo’s from Frisco. We don’t like them here on the East side either.
lnvite her to shoot,pick her brain, and if all fails,accidents DO occur.
New sign on the trail head:
HIKE AT YOUR OWN RISK
or
STAY IN THE HIKING AREAS
Behind Golden Eagle ball fields in the wingfield Springs area.
Could you fine folks from the great state of Nevada do something for me this coming November? Vote the pos Harry Reid out of office!
We do every year. How the fuck he is still there is beyond me. I have never met anyone who will admit they voted for the shitbag. Go figure.
He stole the election. Heard his son is in charge of the voting machines plus all the unionized casino workers legal or not were bused to the polls and made to vote. If amnesty goes through the Stupid party will win damn few elections in the future but that does not seem to matter to them.
Don’t know who you’re voting for each year. Senators only come up for re-election every six years. Meet your first person who will admit to voting for Reid. Wish there was a better choice at the time. But Sharon Engle would have been a disaster for the state, putting it on the back burner for influence and funding. Maybe we will have better choices in the future but doubt it.
There appears to be a tidal wave of mysticism surging thru the land.
Mexican nationals are voting in large numbers in Nevada for democrats. One of my friends went to vote last time and they told him he already voted. This means another person came in and said they were him and voted because no Id is required. We are no longer in a Republic.
S T
Many Mexican national citizians are voting in Nevada and they vote democrat so they can get everything for free. No I’d is required to vote so you can walk into the poles and say you are anyone and vote in that persons name. Nevada has been taken over by foreign voters.
What would they do if all of the real voters showed up and flashed their IDs and demanded that they PROVE that they already voted?
“I can prove who I am, can you PROVE who you say voted”
If hundreds of people all did that, they might have to throw the whole thing out. I sure wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, if I really hadn’t voted, and wanted to.
Like him or not, Reid has major influence for funding the state and has succeeded in bringing much needed money to Nevada. If Sharon Engle had been elected it would have been a disaster, funding and influence wise for the state. By the way, U.S. senators are elected to six year terms. He is not up for re-election until Nov. 2016. I also shoot in Nevada, but also keep myself politically educated and from that know that the vast majority of politicians are no good, including Reid. Stop wasting time trying to distinguish between the different parties. They all have the same bosses and they are not us.
bonehead; in regards to your post-the lesser of two evils comes to mind.
With the exception of the six-year elected term for US senators, your above comment is nothing but a montage of obtuse gibberish, Bonehead.
Question: Did you vote for Harry Reid in 2010 as a registered voter in the state of Nevada? If so, perhaps you are not as “politically educated” as you might think.
So, Bonehead, you can be bribed for your vote. You need to stop allowing that to happen.
The fact is, every Senator brings home the tax largesse to their state, regardless of party.
S T
Nevada has been over run with foreign south of the boarder voters. Illegal votes put Harry into office because id to vote is not required in Nevada. You can walk into the poles and say you are anyone and vote in their name. The republic is lost in Nevada .
Tampered-with voting machines also contributed to his win. Google the news reports of machines automatically voting ‘Reid’
AMEN!
Maddog
Sounds good. The pyramid range is about 30 minutes north of golden eagle and you have to pay. I like black rifles too. Golden eagle is mountainous so you can practice elevated targets or normal flat shooting. And it’s kinda fun to have the kaliforia idiots tell you that you can’t shoot and then to immediately draw and fire in a safe direction.
Okey dokey, my dummy email is [email protected]. If you like send a note and I will provide a good address.
Okey dokey, my dummy email is angeloservices@ gmail. com. If you like send a note and I will provide a good address.
All you need to do is be sure you are not shooting in an area the BLM has closed to shooting by order, and not shooting in an unsafe manner.
If they harass you, YOU call the police.
Thank you Smokey
The hikers will be the first to die in the collapse. I’m sure they don’t have guns. When the end comes they will try and tell their attackers hey you can’t attack us and take our things. It will be funny.
Im a hiker and I pack a S&W .500 magnum. Blowhards that are out of shape will be the first to die, then the tree huggers.
That is funny as hell!!!
The Dec 2013 stats were far lower than the rest of 2013.
If you go by the average of 2013 that was 400-410 rather than the 360 of Dec. So it was not an increase from 360 to 435 but rather an increase of 415 to 435. So the change is NOT 20% increase.
Yes the ramifications would be horrific but what are the chances it happens any time soon …..I mean they have more tricks up their sleeves than people realize …..anything that happens is because THEY ALLOWED it to happen and they simply atrntveven close to being ready for that ramification !!!
Good points. But there are limits to what can be done. As long as China can still use our dollars to buy stuff, they will keep sending us stuff. But they now have most of our gold, they are buying up our real estate and companies. This system has a mathematical end, and it is not only up to us when shtf starts. We have a consumer based economy, based on consuming things from a country that recently said, they no longer want our dollars, and are starting to get rid of them. And the list of quality economist that think the shtf at least begins this year is growing, Doug Casey, John Williams, Kyle Bass, Marc Faber, etc. Anything is possible, better to years earl than a day late on the reality that we all know is coming.
China wants us disarmed ad well.
Imagine that! They don’t like grass too much, do they?
shooter.
Closet Yankee’s
The hikers remind me of runners who run in the road when they could run on the sidewalk. The runners can run in the road but is that the smartest thing to do. Someone could be texting and drift into a runner or a person on a bike and that person will be dead. The dead person will be in the right but they will still be dead. Hikers can hike in a shooting but is that smart?
Shooter.
There are those who tempt fate as they walk out in front of moving vehicles without care. Those who think they can withstand an impact with a 3000 pound vehicle at 45 mph. Those who think they own the road and do not share it. Bicyclists are the worst. They ride the white line in defiance. Yes Sir! That plastic helmet is going to save you when you get hit in the ass with a SUV.
Slingshot
I agree. My neighborhood has 8 foot wide paths next to the road for people to use and I love them for running and biking. But several people in my neighborhood insist on running or biking in the road. I don’t get it. All they are doing is tempting fate. They have every right to be in the road but there are also a ton of high school drivers out there, distracted drivers, lost or old drivers, or foreign south of the border drivers that might run you over.
I never thought they were tempting fate as much as my reflexes and my brakes…oh well, cheap road improvements…
These are all good suggestions.
Here are some of my favorites for preparing my family.
What can we do?
1. Plant a garden.
2. Support local farmers.
3. Use and/or preserve in season produce (can, dehydrate, etc.)
Don’t need a farm, really.
Grow a strawberry patch,
plant a dozen peach and a
dozen apple trees.
Two or three acres of land
will more than suffice and
easy to maintain.
Plenty of bartering stock
for other foodstuffs as
well as a years supply for
yourself.
Let’s see, strawberry patch, couple of dozen fruit trees, a couple of acres of land to be used for….growing more food maybe, or perhaps some chickens or a few goats?
Sounds kind of like a small farm to me.
Maybe so NCClyde.
But I think a lot of folks get scared off by
the thought of a 100 acre farm with barns and
tractors and such, and scrub the whole idea.
In my area people have what I described and do
quite well with a little roadside stand or in
a local farm market or supplying smaller stores
with in season produce and still hold a full
time job.
I know of two people, a potato farmer and a
honey producer that barter their wares for
almost everything they need food wise.
Yes, me too. Fall is very tasty round here.
Hi Wrong –isn’t harvest season wonderful
Since I’m blabbing away here, most of the
successful growers I have known were one
crop specialists.
I myself was once a Gentleman Raspberry
Farmer before I became involved in more
pressing ventures that stole all my time.
I sold all I could grow of the little
beauties locally for five bucks a half-pint.
Raspberrys are one of my favorite. We freeze a load of them and turn it into ice cream of sorts all year long. Same with any other berrys, sweet cherrys and my favorite peaches. We still have a couple gallons of strawberrys. Fruit, a small pour of cream and a pour of maple syrup. Blend and enjoy. Better than any ice cream you can buy.
WRONG , Where the heck do you find cherries ?
LMAO !
A secret place up yonder…. Love the sweets to freeze and the tarts my wife cans. Cherry Cobbler all winter long. We buy the dried ones straight from the factory and store them in vac u jars. Dried cherries in the oatmeal is hard to beat. Anyone hungry yet? My grandson jumps through the flaming hoop for a handfull of dried cherries. Only caught fire once but we keep a bucket of well water near by. Now my wife tells me we can’t play inside anymore…
Rhubarb is one of my favorites. Plant it once in your lifetime. Harvest it early. You can freeze it, can it, add it to strawberry jam, topping for ice cream, great in pies. If you like sour you can eat it raw.
Outwest,scared?A 100 acre farm would be a back breaking dream for me,will say though would have some breeding draft horses along with the tractor,fire tractor up occasionally just to keep it happy!
I’ve got 7 acres, w/ a 3000 sq. ft farmhouse, a few laying hens, two dogs, 4 acres in meadow/pasture, berries, wild grapes, rosehips, a good sized garden and 9 apples trees and I am exhausted by the end of September. That’s more than enough, especially without help. You can be self-sufficient on one acre. There are lots of great books to show you how.
I always laugh at the fools who are going to plant a one acre survival garden. Never gardened before and have no clue as to the work required to maintain a one acre garden.
Hungry people are good learners.
I have grown up around gardening all my life, but not for food, rather ornamental. We converted to vegetable gardening in 2008. Each year has been a little different, last year we had a 1600sp ft main garden with several smaller areas around the house. This winter we expanded our main garden to just under 5000 sq ft and we probably have a couple hundred square ft of extra garden areas around the house. We have been planting blackberries around our fencline. The main garden is gonna be a huge undertaking this year, but we are trying the best we can to get as far off the grid/system as possible. We have a few chickens and got a few more this spring. Hope to add rabbits soon. Wish we had room for beef, but not where we are currently at unfortunately.
Outlaw : We raised 5 pigs in a 30 x 30 pen this past year in the suberbs. The neighbors did not even know it. We only raised them 2 1/2 months. A little experiment. I am inproving the pen tomarrow. We are going to get a calf and a piglet. Put them in the same pen. Every day after work, I will run the lawn mower with the bagger on it, get one bag full a day. Maybe less at first. That will make them grass fed without having them out in the yard, and I will not have to mow the whole yard every weekend. We will raise them until the grass quits growing this next winter. You can do a lot of farming and raising animals in a little area.
Excellent idea! Thank you for contributing this, I think I am going to try this with ony the calf.
Quail are another good small scale farm animal, as are bees! Quail can be kept in rabbit hutches but they have to kept inside in winter and stink so careful where you site their cages.
The plans for how we want to organise ourselves are coming along. Quail and wood for the fire will be stored in the garage. Chickens outdoors (for my family size 3 chickens + access to a cockeral if needed after shtf is enough). Neighbours objections will determine the viability of bees – but I won’t give up on that little dream easily.
For me, acres of land is an impossible dream – UK property is crazy priced. Straw bale gardening, square foot gardening, aquaphonics are all viable alternatives for those of us who are land challenged. I’ve trialled square foot & straw bale techniques in the past & reckon with limited guerilla permaculture I can make a go of it in the new location.
Not tried aquaphonics and tbh at this late stage I’m wary of wasting my precious self-saved heirloom seeds on something that is untested by me. This is because the EU has plans to make the purchase of heirloom seeds all but unobtainable for us mere mortals in the near future. Knowing I may not be able to replace my favourite varieties of veggies makes me more cautious than I was even 5 years ago.
IKEA turned up a suprise – in our area they’ve introduced fitted solar systems for home electrics (lights, all appliances + hot water) A couple of years ago when I investigated these were running at £8k with other companies. IKEA comes in at an average cost of £5k. My task for next week is to investigate the market further.
Good luck controlling the blackberries from spreading and taking over. Once they get going look out.
Haha, well I am in need of some privacy and the chainlink fence aint cuttin it, so that is the idea.
Not to mention how uninviting it makes your yard to people who might want to climb over the fence…
You should also grow potatoes and tomatoes. Both produce a lot of food per square yard.
I actually figured you could pretty much feed a family of 4 off 2 acres of intensive gardening, a few rabbits and chickens or ducks and maybe a milk goat if there is browse available.
Outwest,
I agree, you don’t really need a large farm to produce a lot of food.
My maternal grandparents owned only a few acres. Yet, they had fruit trees, a HUGE garden, grape vines, chickens, and a very large area of blackberry bushes. When my Mother was a child, they also had a cow and raised some pigs.
The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan has lots of useful ideas for utilizing your land and getting the most from a small homestead.
i’ve got 2/3 acre and that includes the house. we have 15 chickens (one is a rooster…shhhh don’t tell anybody, he’s ILLEGAL), a berry garden ( 6 thornless navajo blackberries, and strawberry patch), columnar apple trees, peach trees, blueberrie bushes, potato towers and a veggie garden. I could get a rabbit hutch, but nowhere to get rid of the viscera. though my cats and chickens would probably eat it. we are getting bees next spring.
We NEED a fence. a tall fence. aint no hidin’ this stuff from the neighbors.
nopitypartyhere — sounds like you are living it
We small-time commercial fished for 100 yrs.
To get rid of fish guts we dug a ‘post hole’
out back and covered with a little dirt after
each use until we needed to dig another.
Works for everything.
Put in a natural edible fence. We live in central Florida, and you can grow blueberries, Florida cherries, and sugar cane. I don’t know where you live but their is something that you can grow everywhere for an edible fence. You can also put in a tall chain link and grow grapes or passion fruit. You can grow your cucumbers on it. Lots of options. If you do not want an edible, you can grow ever greens like cedar or some sort of christmas trees.
We’re in CT, so from October until may, we would not have good cover unless it is evergreen. We can see the police station from our back steps (it’s about 100 yds). I don’t want people trying to steal my food if SHTF.
I’m trying to start seeds indoors this year, and I’m not having a whole lot of luck. Maybe I’m not giving it enough time. The onions are the only thing that has really sprouted. 🙁
KY , I agree , and would add supporting local small business as well. Collapse or not these folks sre still your nieghbors and will be in the community no matter what happens.
And of course support your local Hammerslinger !
Off subject,slickguns shows Gander mountain selling Remington .22 lr for .04 a round,will go quickly,happy shopping for those in need!
Thanks for the heads up, but the strangest thing is happening. I went to the site and tried to add a couple boxes to my cart, when I click on the cart firefox is throwing up this warning:
This Connection is Untrusted
You have asked Firefox to connect securely to 74.213.151.199, but we can’t confirm that your connection is secure.
Normally, when you try to connect securely, sites will present trusted identification to prove that you are going to the right place. However, this site’s identity can’t be verified.
What Should I Do?
If you usually connect to this site without problems, this error could mean that someone is trying to impersonate the site, and you shouldn’t continue.
If you understand what’s going on, you can tell Firefox to start trusting this site’s identification. Even if you trust the site, this error could mean that someone is tampering with your connection.
Don’t add an exception unless you know there’s a good reason why this site doesn’t use trusted identification.
Are you having any trouble or seen this before?
I have my computer locked down pretty decent I think, I am also running linux. I try not to order ammo on the net, but I havent been able to find any .22 locallly?
Strange
Sorry the firefox text kinda blended with my questions/comments.
These lines were my comments, everything above this was from firefox:
Are you having any trouble or seen this before?
I have my computer locked down pretty decent I think, I am also running linux. I try not to order ammo on the net, but I havent been able to find any .22 locallly?
Strange
Outlaw–who can explain anything any longer?
After 13 years, my email password was hacked—I have NEVER used online at any site or given my password to anyone—but it was hacked.
Then I read 360 million were hacked.
How did I know?? My email refused any incoming mail..fixed that with the techs and in minutes my email refused any outgoing.
So, the tech said he had just received an email that I was cut off due to excessive ‘spamming’…so, tech fixed my email account, I added one digit to my password, and the problem was fixed till next time.
TMI??? maybe it will help someone here.
Sorry to hear about your troubles JayJay. I used to be super tech savvy when I was younger. Starting to learn a little now again. We were on xp but with support ending we have converted to Linux. It was a little difficult getting it all going, but I think it is one of the best things we have done computer wise. I would reccomend to anyone on xp thinking of upgrading to give linux a try. I will never go back to windows again. I keep our computers as locked down as I can. Firefox is set-up to clear cache on exit and NO saved passwords. It takes a few extra seconds logging into sites, and you have to remember your username password, but worth it to me for the security. I also use different variations of passwords on all my accounts.
JayJay
That kinda stuff is why i wish it would all just shut down,,,
So much crap out there it just sucks.
I long for it to shut down also Kula, but as they say be careful what you wish for. When it does shut down we certainly won’t be communicating amongst each other so freely anymore. I will miss y’all.
Same here,
Guess ill be spending more time scanning radio waves.
that is why we need HAMs. Ugly, ‘On The Air’….
Wish I had the money and time Ugly. Right now I am dumping all of my meager funds into food self-sufficiency.
“They” could have hacked a router in the route to your email and picked off your password. Your ISP is not protecting you, most do not know how. You are on your own.
Anything with an IP address is being port scanned. The frequency and by whom varies from day to day. There are about 10 things all “Hackers” do to get into a computer.
This IP tried to hack my computer network yesterday. 27.220.85.65 is located at No.21,Jin-Rong Street Beijing China. I have had 155 different IP address try and hack my network in the last 24/hrs.
Try another browser. Firefox won’t let me into Gunbroker or Glenn Back most of the time.
Any suggestions on another browser? What do you use? I don’t have any trouble going into gunbroker. I have been using firefox for years. I wont use chrome because it is a google product.
I am just wondering if the NSA is intercepting order information…
I dont seem to have trouble with any other website, I think I will just continue looking locally.
It could just be that their certificate expired. You could e-mail their support and ask if they are aware of this issue. They will need to renew their certificate with a 3rd-party authenticator. I would expect similar results with IE or Safari until they resolve the issue.
I use Google Chrome. It works fine and it’s a lot faster than Internet Explorer.
A partner in one of my businesses is a Network specialist who knows every trick in the book. He wants me to go to Linux product. No MS products on the computer. I will let him set up my next computer. I run an external firewall that we make. This frees up all my computer processing power.
gosh, i wish i could remember where, but in the last week I was reading somewhere else to stay away from firefox…not sure of the problem, but I was using it exclusively on my laptop and the damn thing got full of viruses despite firewalls and heavy anti-virus/internet security software. for years no problems with the set up I had, then started getting odd error messages, etc. I took it in before it crashed. damn thing was loaded.
dont buy ammo on line
jeeze i would have though you would know better than that
cash and carry
SMH
VRF, I do cash and carry always around town, no cards. I was very hesitant to purchase online, but as I said no .22 I can find here. Also I do not have any online purchases shipped directly to my home and use prepaid cards for any purchases that are neccasary to be made online.
Good advice though!
Unfortunately not everything we purchase is available locally.
yeah, you make a good point..
cant find .22 here either
I just hate giving them ANY info, but you have to do what you have to , in order to get what you need these days
sucks
I don’t even like to shop for ammo online. I’m sure the NSA tracks that.
NSA,,,
Pfffft”””
These are the same idiots who bring us the health care commector,
Just because they collect the data doesnt mean they will be able to figure out much more than a small fraction of it.
BC, buy what you can with cash, on a one on one transaction for OPSEC, I know I use to comment often on the NSA> But try as you might, secrecy is futile. You go to a gun show and make a good deal on a gun or some ammo and what do you do, get home and get on the phone and call your Son or your Dad or maybe a best friend and brag on what you bought. Or get on SHTFplan under a false name and tell everyone about the great deal you got. As far as the NSA is concerned you just as well have bought it on line with a credit card. Human nature is, your going to tell someone and when you do our old friend the NSA is there. Trekker Out. Sad But True!
Get a pre-pay visa card like VanillaOne. You only have to give them A zip code to use it online. They have no other information on you.
Then just have the items shipped to any name you like to any address you like in the same zip code. That’s the only catch, the zip code you assign to the card has to match the zip code on the address you have the items shipped to.
My dogs buy a lot of ammo….
Sounds like you have a cool dog!
Dog Bless You Both.
Yup, this is exactly how I make all of my online purchases, not just ammo and preps. I have it shipped to a sheeple friends house in a different city, then make a pick-up when it arrives. Thank you for explaining it better than myself 🙂
You guys should work with Larry the Cable Guy, you are that funny.
Cash debit cards are available at Walmart. Load up, use up, toss out. Plenty of empty houses in any neighborhood. UPS doesn’t care where they deliver, long as you know what day it’s going to be dropped off to fetch it. Most safe neighborhoods, they drop and run, no sig needed. Just sayin.
VRF, ammo is one thing I refuse to buy online unless I get into an extreme situation. Otherwise I still get my ammo locally whenever it’s available.
Cuz are you and I the only two men on this site? Remember those 900 numbers where those 300pounders with the sexy voices would talk to those idiots that would pay $15 per minute just to hear them talk dirty? Well guess where those dollies all went.
Well, considering that firefox threw up the warning it did I think I am just gonna hold off on any online ammo purchase, was just hopin maybe I could score some .22 so I could take the kids out shooting again. I sure do miss shooting with the kids.
Have never ordered from Gander but will continue to buy online,they start hitting the homes of ammo purchasers,well,it is on anyhow,so,till then will shop for deals.Many here seem to have a tough time getting.22 at a fair price so will keep listing deals when I see em.
You make a valid point. If they start hitting the homes of ammo purchasers it’s on. Kinda like burying your guns. If you bury your guns they sure as hell aint gonna be readily available when you need them, huh?
Kinda like having the bullets in one room and the gun beside the bed?/
What??
I agree with ordering online. What is the difference ? All of us on this site, even the ones that just look and do not post, are already on the list. Might as well save every penny and buy more ammo and seeds when possible.
Call them on the phone if they have a 800 number and ask them if there have been any problems. I have had the same thing happen even when connecting to a secure DOD site. Just means that the certificate needs to be added to the trusted sites. You can also just e-mail them and request a response.
I have been having problems too with retail sites. My wife calls it my porn. Like everyone here I like to look and dream about what I can buy or combinations, over the past week or so I have been getting alot of error or even forbidden messages. I am used to things messing up when it might have a political bend with the news but lately sporting goods and firearms sites have been not recognized.
I traced this quad and it was unable to trace the host. Pings didn’t return either and Whois couldn’t identify the website, so I wouldn’t use this quad, no matter who it says it is. Something isn’t right.
“74.213.151.199 uses an invalid security certificate.
The certificate is only valid for the following names:
*.Overtons.com , Overtons.com”
BUT THE QUAD FOR OVERTONS IS 74.213.155.107
However, entering http://www.overtons(.)com into your browser does get you to a hardware/outdoor store website.
Sold Out
Eh,no worries,am a vigilant sort,will stay on it,but,I find something get card and phone and be ready to order.Just my way of contributing towards the site,along with shop worn phrases like “the smalls add up,you can do this”.
Sold out. Alas.
Bottom line is we hold the power within ourselves to change the future for the better!!
We have some power to make our own futures better but we no power to affect the future of America.
Barn cat you are the resistance.
Barn Cat
You are the resistance.
We are the future of America.
Lets not forget “Pandemic” either. I sat in a Gov’t briefing several years ago when the “Bird Flu” was popular in the news. In that briefing there was a CDC rep who said the key phrase, when, not if!
Having a food pantry is one of the many essential reasons that we all know and prepare for.
And the clock keeps on ticking………
Not just food in the pantry, but medical supplies and other supplies.
You don’t want to go out for those things and be around others.
I don’t like being around those “others” now, much less in a pandemic…
“…..the more I like my dog….”
Having a food pantry is one of the many essential things that we all need as we all prepare for many different scenarios.
Learn how to make zombie jerky
1, Get out of debt..check
2, Invest in emergency pantry..check
3, Plant a garden..check
4, Investing precious metals,like lead..check
5, Purchase fertile ground, check
6, start a barter Community, check
Looks like I’m ready what time does the bus leave, What !! What do you mean the bus already left..
Commie gave you a red thumb, PA farmer.
Commies everywhere.
I hear you. A few weeks ago we got a side of beef from a local grower we know. This week, got some shiny round PMs to take advantage of the drop. We make sure we keep almost nothing in the banks now. Sure hope the weather cooperates soon, wed like to get some early spring gardening in but the grounds been frozen.
By foods and staples while you can, it aint getting cheaper says Cal whos still pissed Costco reduced the TP bundle from 36 rolls down to 30 but didnt reduce the price. Like we dont see the shrinkdowns.
Calcagus, funny just a couple of days ago on my cover page they had an article about how much money you should keep at home. They said you shouldn’t keep more than one hundred dollars cash at home. Are you kidding me, it cost that much to fill my gas tank on my truck. Anywho they gave all of the reasons why you should leave it in the bank, one of them being all the interest you would lose. Oh yeah that .05% really adds up. Been taking mine out a little at a time, started last year with around 25 and ended the year with aroud 12,000 sure hate to lose out on all that interest. Made a total of, $7.50, glad I changed mine into tangibles. Trekker Out. Si vis pacem, para bellum!
MT, don’t you know your money is much safer stored at the bank?
What the hell is wrong with you!
/sarcasm off
Well Outlaw, who would know what to do with my money, better than some well educated Banker. Anywho I took all my interest earned in 2013 from that there bank and bought a 12 can flat of brean beans. What more could you ask for. Trekker Out. Semper Paratus!
Damn MT, I couldn’t buy ONE can with all of my interest from last year…
Mason jars + cedar swamp = safe money
Alright hammer. I need a week to rest my bones and then I’m ready for another adventure.
Still waiting for proof of funds .
No money , no dream lodge , stay tuned…
Tin cans + oak tree + 1,427 gold goins = someone else’s fortune.
Are those with or without cottonmouths?
Mason jars + cedar swamp = safe money
Are those with or without cottonmouths?
Atta boy, Mountain. Stay the course.
I sure feel for the retired folks who were depending on some interest and dividends as part of there retirement income. Theyre into savings now. But that is what the govt had planned and most older folks refuse to believe that. Only way to get by and retire is w/ investments you control. Most of us here know that.
thats the whole point. they want you stuck at home, with no cash, so you HAVE to go to the fema camps or take goobermint assistance. People are dumn enough to believe this crap….
And if you have some rolls stored from years back, you’ll most likely find this about newer toilet paper:
The cardboard tube in the center is bigger.
The height of the roll is shorter.
The diameter of the roll is smaller.
Amazing how they can hide inflation before they actually have to reduce the package size.
What on earth could someone give you a thumbs down for?
Off subject…it was my b-day the other day and we found out our daughter is having a boy…even if times are hard and there is not much hope…family is the most important thing. God is good. And their German Shepard loves me! I was so happy about that! (We went to visit them down in the Southwest for a week) 🙂
Happy Birthday cabin! My daughter just gave birth to a 7 lb 6 oz boy! Grandpa wrong!
Cabin and Wrong:
CONGRATS AND ENJOY!!!!!!!!
Getting out of debt is good, but if you plan on financing an alternative power or something that will save you money on the long run, then debt might not be a bad thing. Especially if you have a reliable income that can afford the installments. I have a pickup that eats gas. I bought a fuel efficient car that I could make the payment the same as my pickup’s fuel cost. Now it is paid off and I only use a fraction of gas that I used to… I’m thinking now is the time to get off the grid as electricity is costing more… Why is it that they say there is no inflation. Food, electricity, cable, telephone, and bullets all cost more!
The government SAYS there is NO INFLATION because they changed the items that they include in the list. They removed FOOD and FUEL costs from the “basket of goods” they compare for the official figure.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the cost of what a consumer would pay for a basket of typical items.
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics CLAIMS that the adding and removing that they’ve done hasn’t affected the CPI.” (http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpiqa.htm)
The blue line on the chart shows what the CPI would be if the “basket” of goods had remained unchanged from 1980 to today.” (This includes food and fuel costs.)
The red line shows the cost of living using the “revised list” (THEY REMOVED FOOD AND FUEL COSTS), that the government now uses to measure inflation.
http://www.shadowstats.com/
Today I bought a small can of tomato sauce for 99 cents. It’s replacing a can of tomato sauce I bought 2 years ago, same brand, same size, same store, with a 42 cent label on it.
Food has doubled in the last 5 or 6 years.
Va.farmer,I’ve spend 53yrs Preparing for whats coming unknowingly , I cant dream up any reason to take on any debt. Even if I could my Credit is good and own three Properties I can use for collateral,I own two older trk’s and three older tractors everything is rebuild ground up by me, with back up parts it will out live me. I clean and replant my oats, I’ve been playing with unpollinated corn for two years for the seed. The only thing I dont have covered is back up power like the welder, I’m working on finding the right Generator to hook up to my free gas. Debt I dont think so, if I cant pay cash I dont need it..
I really don’t understand the get out of debt thing unless paying huge interest,things fall apart the collection agencies are out of business!I could see having good credit and a card with high limit,things go south have a final shopping marathon,screw it,we bailed out the banks ect.,get your share.I realize the timing on that a bit hard.but.could be fun!
Howdy, Warchild. I’m prepping all the way til’ the last minute and maybe beyond for one final shopping spree if I can avoid any crowds.
If things go south slowly, banks will foreclose and call in debts and gov’t gets involved quickly. In effect, you could be financially targeted with subsequent gov’t enforcement.
If things go quickly, bill collectors will be like anyone else trying to take your preps, but they probably won’t survive the first three weeks.
Tex, one of my biggest fears is my Property taxes, I am behide on all of them and cant seem to get Caught up on em, it keeps me up at night. They should have their hands cut off for what they STEAL from me..
PA , You gotta get right with those land taxes , I have been to the edge myself . Paid them up just before sherrifs auction years ago.
They DONT F around .
I now keep just enough silver to cover two years prop taxes . Dont know if i could pay in silver, but it is the only thing i could think of when preparing for economic collapse .
One thing is for sure , they will still collect taxes.
Hammerhead, I wouldn’t be so sure about collecting taxes in any post-SHTF scenario.
RENEGADE , economic collapse , not EMP or such thing .
If the dollar collapses they WILL still expect payment.
Bet on it .
It will be the befect senario to push everyone off the land and into town, as planned.
I intend to stay , alive or buried .
Last year I got a letter from my bank telling me that I do not need to worry if there is a financial crisis that stops the flow of currency. They kindly explained that my money will be safe in their hands and I will not have to worry about paying any bills if the account is frozen due to the crisis. Rest assured they will make sure that all due bills will be handled accordingly.
Made me all warm and fuzzy right before I crumpled it up to light the stove.
BH, don’t bet the farm on that concept. Plan for the future we are likely to get, not the future we want.
Hammerhead you are 100% correct. I still own a farm in Missouri and if I can’t pay anything else, you can bet I pay those property taxes on my farm. And if PA Farmer can’t pay cash he don’t buy it. Well, short of food to survive on, by all means you better pay those property taxes. I have pondered this subject for years, and when it comes to receiving the Mark, property taxes will be one thing that will be hard to get around. I wish I could pre pay my property taxes for 10 years in advance. But a man’s gotta do, what a man’s gotta do. Trekker Out. And yes, they will take your land!
My dad placed his land in my name several years ago. 42 acres is $103 in land taxes. His house and 7 acres are in a life estate and are EXEMPT through homestead. WHEN SHTF if I lose my job, we are packing everything up, moving to MS and letting the bank take the house in CT. I don’t want to live in MS, there is a lot of ‘white flight’ and not to be racist, but truly, everyone black and white (but mostly white) who have college educations are fleeing the rural areas leaving aging and elderly white, along with white trash drug heads and medicaid/disability populations of all three races. nice thing about dads place….good line of site on two sides, and redneck gunloving god fearing neighbors own the woods on the other two sides. talk about teaming up, that’s where I want to be.
Don’t waste silver on your property taxes. Pay the government in their fiat.
Paying with silver coins would be pretty stupid as they are only going to give you the face value of the coin no matter what it is worth. pay ten years in advance? Why? You might be dead tomorrow and taxes change every year.
Yes John taxes do change, if you will notice I said, I wish I could. I don’t think they have that option. And yes I may be dead tomorrow, which is alright with me, I also don’t have the option of making that choice either, but in the mean time I’m going to pretend to be alive. Still wish I could preday my property taxes. Trekker Out. Semper Paratus!
AND to make sure we have those property taxes(besides what I have saved for hard times just in case) I take out every month 1/12th of that as I do for auto insurance and homeowner’s.
It helps because you never know when a hardship might come our way.
PA Farmer
No offense, here but…
If you own three properties, and are behind on your taxes, why not sell one and get right with the government?
There is nothing like removing stress from your life.
H.A.N.D.
S.A.G. ,Tex, No Offense its logical thinking to say Sell one Property, the fram they’ll take me off here in a body bag good or bad,another one I bought when I was 21 gas Station I could cut steel with my butt hole about that one and I’ll leave it at that. The money Property I bought when I was 18 has rental house and now a garge I could rent that I closed , I do need to go see a Realtor and sell it, I just just cant make my body do it like I’m Paralyzed. It was Suppose to be my Retirement money (rent). I just keep thinking the Lord will show me the way.
PA Farmer, I own income producing properties, I hate that we have to pay for it twice, once to the banksters and again to the gov’t. But give Caesar what is his and do your best with the rest. The gov’t doesn’t negotiate very well and will take first and litigate second. You have to have place to stay and carry on otherwise the gov’t takes “care” of you. God Bless.
PAF, you need to sell something very quickly and cash up to pay those taxes.
Take a second job flipping burgers or cleaning hog pens, whatever it takes, but pay them now.
Heck, I’d rather owe a mortgage pmt. than property taxes.
Gene knew a guy that lost his house in Ky.?? and the new owner was from Texas!!!
Paid the property taxes and got the house.
That’s the tale of the owner/loser.
Tex, I’m not in debt on anything, but even if a bill collector shows up at my place by mistake, I’ll give him one choice. turn around and haul ass away from me or get a dose of 00 buckshot from Bertha.
Gonna be real hard paying anything from jail or dead by cop. Why would you even make a statement about shooting some poor Joe blow bill collector? People like you are why the sheriffs have to get involved in evictions etc.
Tex,they will survive a hell of a lot less then 3 weeks they try and steal from me/family/neighbors.
Also, everyone needs a punch list of things they want to get and use a credit card for that. Any thing you need, you should have had that yesterday. My punch list is broken down into specific areas or aisles of the local stores in $100 bundles. When it happens, “Notes” are copied to Text messages to my family and they are to purchase things on the list only and to use payment options in the following order Credit, Debit, $100 bill emergency cash.
i like that tactic. When lil’ kim jung un was throwing a tantrum last year, I was out of state for 3 weeks. I told my son that if he got a text from me to leave school, that he was to go straight home, to the secret spot, then head to the local grocery and load up on certain items, and wake his dad (works night shift) to top off all gasoline stores and propane. He thinks i’m nuts, but he understood that not doing it was not an option.
Great idea…and the credit card I use(never pay interest due to pay when statement arrives)just increased my credit limit.
I don’t need a thing, but like you said, we bailed out those bastards, and if I knew for certain this was the last call, a few truck loads of chocolate and Twinkies would be nice!!! 🙂
Until the stores refuse the credit cards per that email from the CC companies. 🙁
If it was me, I’d worry a whole lot less about those UNSECURED debts, than the collateral-backed ones.
The worst thing they can do for an unsecured debt, is deactivate your card and send you hate letters in the mail…before they refer it to a collection agency for more hate letters…
EXACTLY!
I’m thinking that if my electric bill is around 250 a month and I can finance a 15,000 dollar alternative electric system that only cost 250 for 10 years, I will save money in the long run… Might have to see if I could get a fixed rate loan so if interest rate increases…
I miscalculated… 250 a month for 5 years for 15,000. Now to see if I can power my cabin with 15,000…
I also saved money off heating by going with wood and coal. I cut, split, and stack my own, so I don’t need any health club or bowflex…
Va.farmer, If your useing $250. of Electric a month your doing something vary wrong, I would go into heart Failure if I would see a bill like that. My bill has been like $40. Month this winter $10. In the summer. Go to bed when it dark get up when its light. My friend said one day my power has Probably been off for a week and I didnt even know it.
I haven’t seen a $40 electric bill since the 1970s. Mine now is closer to $200.
Hell, my price on a kilowatt hour is 9 cents. I have backup electrical heat and air. I have chest freezer, cold storage for curing garlic and storing fruit, sun room for plant starters, and incubators and chick room. I reduced my bill to 100 dollars 5 years ago by switching to LED lights and high efficient appliances, but it has crept back up to at least 200… I am thinking that it will go to 250 or more in the future like everything else. I don’t burn daylight, but do tend to like my evenings a little too much…
Off topic, have you heard about the Appalachian Redoubt?
what’s this about thew appalachian redoubt? I know someone who cashed in his 401K and bought farm in midwest VA with the proceeds.
Not really bud,
My electric is close to 600 a month, but i run a 10×10 walk in refer 24/7
Looked into solar, even if i do it myself it will run around 65k
In my neck of the woods we pay $25.00 per month to just be hooked up.
My average electric bill is about $20, but I have gas heat and hot water heater.
Sixpack, I have free gas and I use it for everything even my cutting torches. I was Dating this girl one time, I allways use Lanterns and a flash light, just Habit. She had been coming around for months now, being the Polite girl she was never ask me why I dont have Electric. One night she brought supper, she said were is the flashlight I’ll heat that up I said just use the light in the Kitchen, she said I’m proud of you you got your Electric turned on. I said its always been on, the look of Confusion on her face was Priceless..
LOL, I hear you, I do the same here, but I only have the light that I’m using on.
People will drop by (unannounced) and I’ll be in one room with the rest of the house dark. I swear this one woman who visits me will die without electricity, she has to have every light in the place on when she’s here.
I asked her once, “are you afraid of the dark” she said no, then I asked her how much her electric bill runs, it must be pretty steep to have your entire place lit up like a studio all the time.
…I wonder how many lights she leaves on when she sleeps…
It gets dark at four PM in the Winter in Pa. If you are going to bed then what a boring life. Might as well just end it now for all the fun you are having.
John, your have right my life is boring to most, bord I am not, there is always things to do on the farm at the end of the day I’m ready for bed. now Of course I dont go to bed at dark, that was something the old timers said..
my mother in MS had $530 two months in a row on a 1500 sf brick ranch. damn light company says they were using 5770 KW a month. It’s like pulling teeth to get her to do anything to make her situation better. she finally got the co to come out and check the meter. don’t know what happened with that. they have a power monopoly in their town.
Lemme guess—she has a new and improved “smart meter”.
They don’t call them that because they are efficient, they call them “smart meters” because it smarts when you get your bill and realize they over-charged you, and you can’t do anything about it.
We looked into this, and came back full circle to, wood/coal burning stove, hand pump on well. Backup generators that will run off gas or propane as propane stores longer.
Coal, can keep outside (stockpile). Any type of fuel/wood in a SHTF situation will be manipulated upwards in price (unless you have your own forest or gas well) and solar/wind, very expensive and doesn’t always work when you need it too, plus requires on-going maintenance & those costs.
The conclusion we came too is that solar/wind energy has to come WAY down in price before it would be worth the expense and risk of using it full-time. It doesn’t always work the way it’s intended too (batteries are very expensive), where with a hand pump on well, have water, with wood/coal stove, have heat, the rest is gravy.
But I suppose for those with expendable funds, it wouldn’t hurt. I’m just leery of relying on it entirely. If we had a spare $15k sitting around, ok, we’d try but we’d still have backup #2 in place, wood/coal stove, hand pump on well.
Propane with non leaking connections easily good for 10 years,run it short term daily will last a long time.
To me, it isn’t a matter of solar being cheaper, or paying for itself. It’s a matter of having power, period. Don’t underestimate them, they cut off our power, lots of people will die.
Alright, I’m going to get red-thumbed (I know) but this isn’t a really helpful article. Many, many people now are living on credit cards just to put food on the table. If jobs weren’t hemorrhaging from this country right now, mabey they wouldn’t use credit to buy food. Therefore…debt. It is not as easy for some folks to get out of debt that simply as stated. Yeah, pay your bills but with this winter as an example with the higher heating bills, anything you may have saved is now going to pay the heat. If you can’t pay the heating bill, how are you going to buy precious metals? For folks living in tent cities, food is more precious than any metal, including lead. Barter? Yeah for some people that might work but I really don’t want anyone to know what I got stashed and make myself a target. I might barter some if I’m at a garage sale or flea market but that’s about it. Grow a garden? What…everyone is suddenly going to have knowelege and skills to raise a successful bounty? What is the author suggesting? That we just go outside and plant seeds and suddenly it’s salad? It takes a lot more of knowledge about weather, crop rotation, companion planting and the plants themselves. This article is for beginner preppers only…it is not for the more experienced. I would point people who are beginning to survivalblog first. The only part of this article I can agree with is pantry stocking. It is quite easy to put an extra can of veg or meat into your cart especially when the stores have sales. And just so you all know…I am well aware that most here have their own sources of electric, light and water. I’m just saying this article isn’t for us.
Npgh, I agree the article is definitely for beginners and they can ask us for advice on any survival-related topic. I’m invested in storable foods, water, water purification, medical supplies, guns, ammo, etc., the things that help guarantee my survival. I’m debt-free so I can get more preps at one time than I would be able to otherwise. I don’t use credit for squat.
I dunno NPGH , I have seen alot of new screenames lately.
That dont mean much , but I think theres always room for articles for folks just being “enlightened” for the first time .
I post when its relevent…I wont post just because I can. Offer up or shut up.
I did , the story is relevant to those who dont frequent prepper sites, And just realized they need to do SOMETHING 1
That is my opinion that i “offered up ” .
Didnt know i wasnt signed on ……..
and this is a good article to share. will be emailing it out to several…
@Npgh,
I agree with you totally. I finance all preps excluding food on credit card (unsecured debt).
The cost of getting off the public water system is about $3000.00 (Hot water too). The cost of getting off the grid can range anywhere from $4000.00 – $10,000.00 depending upon how much you do yourself, integration levels with current utilities, and what types of alternative energy you want to implement (solar, wind, wood, stream, wood gas). Tools, etc. are all major expenses as well. Food is rotational.
Unsecured debt is the way in my opinion. They’re not going to come for your preps. They are worthless to the banksters.
Plus, the banksters are only interested in your real property. Regardless of whether you have that paid off or not, it will be confiscated due to taxes or some sleazy NWO eminent domain strategy.
My definition of prepping is to try and preserve some semblance of my current lifestyle with a mobile capability. Thus, there is a significant expense involved.
I worry that the banksters will turn unsecured debt into secured debt quicker than you can blink when the timings align in their plan. It’s only “we the people” that are expected to conduct our business in an honest fashion! To be in debt to them is to be beholden to them & therefore to be avoided at all costs.
My goal is to detach from the whole dang “system” as much as I am able to, within the constraints I have. Each step I take is one small step towards freedom. The more small steps we ALL take as individuals the closer we are to destroying the parasitic control structure of the elite leeches without having to resort to the horrific violence and suffering that they would love to unleash upon us.
1. Working for myself rather than the corp
2. Home schooling rather than relying on state education
3. Growing some of my food to reduce my dependency on the supermarket
4. Skilling myself up by learning to make, do and mend rather than dumbing myself down by consuming “stuff” at every opportunity. Preps are as much about filling your mind as your grocery cart imho.
I’m not as deeply religious as some on here, but I have noticed that each small step I take leads me further away from the temptations and traps the elite, (satanists) place along my path through life. I’ve noticed that although I have less each month, and fewer fripperies, I’m more contented and happier within myself than I was in the days of my high-powered white collar life in the city. Proverbs 31 has something going for it gals!
It’s worth remembering that Usery was banned for Christians for centuries for damn good reason. The confrontation with the temple bankters was the ONLY occasion Jesus ever felt the need to raise in hand in anger to occur.
I don’t plan on bartering with anybody for opsec reasons. Either now or after the collapse.
We have electric heat. This winter we burned a lot of kerosene in our kerosene heaters. I buy it at a farm supply store for $5 a gallon. Used as much as a gallon a day at one time. Even then, our electric bill was still $250 a month.
Barn Cat, you’re going to be like an island unto yourself? What if someone else needs to barter with you, and not the other way around?
“Turn thy back on those in need” what Christian denomination has that saying?
Your friends take the same approach to life?
I’ve told friends, relatives, and church people about the coming collapse. Nobody is prepping. I might be able to take in another person under the right circumstances. But if I can’t take them in for the duration of the collapse it wouldn’t make any sense to help them.
Even a Lifeguard will let a person drown instead of going down with them.
I’m with Barn Cat. Unless you are well off and can afford tons of Rice and Beans and Wheat. Most of us are in the same boat. Food for a few besides yourself.
its a great article for someone who has enough fiat to pay off thier mortgage, credit cards, buy 25000 dollars of gold…. This article is disconnected from reality.
Why would a person have to pay off their mortgage and credit cards to buy P.M.’s, gun? Is there some rule that says this?
NO, but I assumed it would be the “Get out of debt” part of the article. The only rules are the ones you make for your particular situation. Some people need PM’s, some dont, but we all need lead.
Gun- The artile is written by this websites owners wife, and is simply written t make THEM money off their websites.
If you notice lately, a lot of articles everywhere are the same old recycled garbage.
That insane Canadian Daisy got on the bandwagon with HER own site, and she stores WET firewood INSIDE.
These people doing these websites are all in it for the money and nothing else.
They re badly taking advantage of people with fear. And lots claim to be Christian…. so I don’t know how that works.
What goes around comes around, comes to mind.
But yes, this article WAS useless as tits on a bull.
Npgh says: “For folks living in tent cities, food is more precious than any metal”
No way. Food spoils, metals do not. Metals are very easy to turn into cash to buy food. I cannot imagine any homeless person picking a can of beans over a jar of silver quarters unless they were completely retarded.
Npgh says: “What is the author suggesting? That we just go outside and plant seeds and suddenly it’s salad?”
If your definition of ‘suddenly’ is just a few weeks, then yes. It really is that easy. Especially leaf lettuce and other sprouting crops. It really does Not take a whole lot of knowledge about weather, crop rotation, companion planting and the plants themselves to grow things like lettuce and garlic and such. Plant & water. If you’re lucky there’s enough fertilizer already in the soil for one crop while you learn more.
I dunno, maybe this article is for people just like “us” because the perception that people do things like buy groceries on credit because there are no jobs does not ring true. People put groceries on credit because they spend more than they earn. Cut expenses, and if necessary, move to where there are jobs. Do whatever it takes. Even if it means walking away from an upside-down property you cannot afford to pay for.
Why would you barter at a garage sale or flea market and not with people you’ve grown to know? Do you avoid meeting new people and forming relationships with them? Maybe that’s something to focus on?
If people can’t pay the heating bill, they should have put on a sweater or cover-all’s instead of turning up the thermostat. Maybe this Summer they will learn to live without A/C or CAC and try to get ahead that way?
It’s always good for the experienced to go over the basics, to re-asses, to take stock, to notice things they didn’t before, or to just come up with new approaches. And perhaps come up with a plan C, what to do if you had to start over again from scratch.
Apparently you dont think cognitively. Your an idiot if you think lead fills a hungry belly. Your are an agitator and it shows. Educated Sinner offers more than you.
…if it manages to collide with something cookable, it does…just saying. Rabbit stew, squirrel soup, roasted rat, snake steaks, fried crow…
Npgh says: “For folks living in tent cities, food is more precious than any metal”
No way. Food spoils, metals do not. Metals are very easy to turn into cash to buy food. I cannot imagine any homeless person picking a can of beans over a jar of silver quarters unless they were completely retarded.
(Food doesn’t spoil if you were taught how to preserve it. Even tent cities have ice and picnic coolers. And they do work; I used one the first 3 months of my marriage in 1970.
And I doubt seriously if that tent city resident has the connections necessary to use those quarters)
Npgh says: “What is the author suggesting? That we just go outside and plant seeds and suddenly it’s salad?”
If your definition of ‘suddenly’ is just a few weeks, then yes. It really is that easy. Especially leaf lettuce and other sprouting crops. It really does Not take a whole lot of knowledge about weather, crop rotation, companion planting and the plants themselves to grow things like lettuce and garlic and such. Plant & water. If you’re lucky there’s enough fertilizer already in the soil for one crop while you learn more.
(Wrong again.. I grew up around gardening through my father–still miss those turnip greens each fall after frost; not everyone has the right soil to grow produce—this land has been totally depleted in that I am lucky to have even tomatoes after bringing soil and fertilier.
You said it—IF you’re lucky!!)
I dunno, maybe this article is for people just like “us” because the perception that people do things like buy groceries on credit because there are no jobs does not ring true. People put groceries on credit because they spend more than they earn. Cut expenses, and if necessary, move to where there are jobs. Do whatever it takes. Even if it means walking away from an upside-down property you cannot afford to pay for.
(By your post you must live with a better class of folks than most here–I know those that work and still need credit card(if they can get those)to make ends meet. Car trouble, sick children, appliance repair…and all at the same time?? And no grandparents around to help out…I was lucky to have those. There ARE those out there with no expenses left to cut, and many can’t afford to buy groceries, but you suggest to move??)
Why would you barter at a garage sale or flea market and not with people you’ve grown to know? Do you avoid meeting new people and forming relationships with them? Maybe that’s something to focus on?
(Like the poster–I do NOT wish to barter with either–my neighbors don’t speak to me now, have nothing to offer now, what would they have to offer in a grid down other than being a liability to me??)
If people can’t pay the heating bill, they should have put on a sweater or cover-all’s instead of turning up the thermostat. Maybe this Summer they will learn to live without A/C or CAC and try to get ahead that way?
(You make a lot of assumptions–how do you know they don’t wear thermals and two shirts and have the thermostat on as low as possible and sleep under 5 blankets?? How do know they even turn on the a/c in the summer?? Fools make assumptions)
It’s always good for the experienced to go over the basics, to re-asses, to take stock, to notice things they didn’t before, or to just come up with new approaches. And perhaps come up with a plan C, what to do if you had to start over again from scratch.
(It’s also good for the kind-hearted to lend a hand to teach the basics to kids(young parents) that never learned or to offer some new approaches. But first, as a first grade teacher that knew early on, you can’t teach a subject that is hungry. Feed the flock, then teach the flock.)
@ Day Jay…sorry, your wrong. Do you remember the last time you woke up in the morning and asked, “Honey, how about some lead for breakfast?” Yeah, I figured you didn’t.
As far
my statement on “suddenly salad”… you show your ignorance because, yes, true, lettuce will grow easily but will not grow easily is broccoli or brussell sprouts or potatoes. They all have their own special insects that love them and are faster at eating them than we are.
You should know that sunflowers are not grown for their pretty flowers but that they offer dew that the pollinators love on the undersides of their leaves,not just their flowers. That is why you see them on farms.
You say people should put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat/AC. Fuck you. A sweater doesn’t help much when the temperature outside is -0 with a wind chill of -25. It’s bone chilling cold inside as well as out. How arrogant are you. If folks are living in a tent…the temperature might as well be -30 to them because it feels the same and is worse on an empty belly.
Do yourself a favor and re-read my original post. You might learn something you arrogant jerk. You can let me know what its like to be cold and hungry when you experience it and stop judging others who have no other choice. Try to have mercy and in the mean time…Fuck you. Even the best preps cannot prepare you for the unknown.
Npgh—my statements in parentheses are comments supporting your post and directed at the other poster, Average Guy, that attacked your opinion.
Sorry if you misunderstood, but if you read all comments in the parentheses, those are mine in response to the poster.
I’m sorry to get you so upset, but my post is not denigrating yours–IT IS SUPPORTING YOURS.
I definitely store foods, have money for PMs but they are not my thing.
I have grown tomatoes here, but as stated, can not grow much due to poor soil–gardening is hard and needs years planning; therefore, I store much food; lots of food.
I wear two shirts, thermals and pants in my house, heat one room during the day, and turn the water heater down in the days.
It was not I that said those things about a sweater; my statement is in parentheses.
I am sincerely insulted that you thought I wrote those things that are crude and lack any compassion.
I have tough skin but am really sad right now.
I even read my post to Gene I was so proud of defending you, NPGH.
Reread JayJay says:
Comment ID: 2980347 March 28, 2014 at 7:01 pm
My comments are in parentheses…(((( ))))
And, not that it matters, but about tent city?
When was the last time YOU sent money to a man in Arizona buying coats, blankets, and supplies for the veterans there living in the woods in tents??
Just so you know.
I’m sorry too Jay Jay. It was a bad day and I wasn’t thinking clearly. Please accept my sincerest apologies. Sometimes the posting here gets a bit confusing but that is still not an excuse I can use. Sincerely, I am sorry.
I just needed for all here to think about showing more understanding for those in need.
I would be the first to turn away a welfare whore that smokes, drinks, plays video games all day, does drugs, caters to fast foods while on my dime and buys steaks with those SNAP cards while I have ground beef.
But, her children are another problem all together. I may be forced to take those children(as many of you may be) while informing the mother she can keep on moving.
My replies to that insensitive post were in parentheses–something I do a lot when addressing others.
A 350-400LB Wife will provide Heat in winter, and Shade in summer!
Yuck
For people living in tent cities – shtf already my friend. The goal for the rest of us is to try and do all we can not to share their fate!
Selco is constantly trying to drum into us all that to survive we must be prepared to abandon what we are accustomed to doing of doing things and be adaptable in our behavior and mindsets. Normalcy bias will wind up killing more of us than failure to prep will imho before this whole thing finishes playing out.
Multi-generational living is one way of avoiding the banksters mortgage/debt yoke(mort = death). The elders home ed, the adults work, the children aquire knowledge instead of indoctrination, and the whole family gets out of debt that much quicker! Your home is instantly more secure as it contains more like minded adults to stand watch if needed.
That’s just one way of adjusting to our changing situation – there are many more.
A 400LB Wife will provide Heat in winter, and Shade in summer!
test
@ Average guy, I believe, but do not know, that when the collapse happens, that there will no food to buy.
Like I have told my wife, The farmer won’t sell to the producers, the truckers will not haul it and so forth.
If you live in a farming type setting, you may be right, but 75%? percent do not. This is just my humble opion.
WTF out
You are correct,,
I am a grower, I have friends who are growers,, we are all in agreement that it will be better to sit tight and sell within our own neighborhoods,, will most likely be bartering, I wont have need for FRNs that have no worth, but silver coins, gold, other stuff, or just trade around for mutual protection and sustainment within our neighborhood will be what is going to be happening,
even in our little bubble of a world folks are aware that things can go south real quick when over 80% of all food consumed here is imported.
I know I wont be leaving my house for anything, dont need to, not to deliver to the store I supply, not to go to farmers markets, nothing, if there is any sort of collapse the first thing Ill start shutting off is the electricity, dont need it, and I would bet that with the amount of people who will be having their meters pulled by the utility our rates will skyrocket, if the darn thing is still able to run. depends on how many people are willing to take a chance on leaving their homes.
NPGH:
I agree with you this artical is for the beginner.
You will not get any thumbs down here my friend!:-)
If and when people (the newbie) started spending more time on the basics they would still have a leg up on the person that did nothing to prepair.
Planting a garden, if you have the seed pack it tells you how to plant it. That will get you started onyour way.
IF THE BEGINNER (NEWBIE) would just buy an extra can or two of veggies, meats, dry noodles, rice and beeans a grocery trip and put it a way. Rotating it out every 3rd or 4th trip to the store it would help them. They could also do the same thing with water, might not be able to bath but at lest they would have something to cook with.
A LITTLE HINT ON WATER FOR COOKING:
USE THE WATER OFF YOUR CANNED VEGGIES TO COOK YOUR DRIED GOODS WITH, you do not need all that water to cook your veggies.
THIS WILL HELP SAVE ON YOUR DRINKING WATER.
For lighting you can get some solar powered lights with rechargeable batteries ( you can use these to recharge your other batteries for your radio, ect.), candels, propane lanterns.
HINT FOR MORE LIGHT:
PUT A MIRROR BEHIND YOUR LGHT SOURCE, IT DOUBLE THE LIGHT OUTPUT.
If there are any NEWBIES reading this site , we here will be glad to help you out when it comes to prepairing for when the SHTF.
My List goes like this:
1- make up your mind that you are going to survive and the only preson you really can count on is youself
2- have alot of water on hand,one gallon aday per person
3- have no less than 3 weeks/21 days of food on hand per person
4- have a good warm, dry shelter
5- have a good community of like minded people you can count on.
6- have a way to defende yourself, loved ones and friends
7- have a bug out plan
8- have another bug out plan and even a 3rd one.
If you do this a little at a time you will be suprized how fast you will be a ready for when the SHTF.
S.T.S.F.P. N.R.NS. N.REB
@ North Reb…Very good advice! Excellent post.
Yeah. Lots of people that aren’t in the position to save and/or stockpile, let alone put in garden and ensure something grows. They are stuck in the cities and live paycheck to paycheck.
I know my adult children aren’t prepping for anything, they spend it as fast as they make it, they figure they’ll just head to Mom/Dads.
So, yes, we have to count on that as well, plus probably other family members. City people with rural roots, maybe should keep in touch with those family members and be able to offer them some help or a skill in trade for support.
And it doesn’t even have to be a SHTF situation, loss of job/home is all it takes, and more and more are losing both.
@ Just me…yes…you are correct. God Bless you. There are lots of people out there confused and scared and just plain don’t understand by either willfull ignorance or wont see for themselves. That doesn’t mean we don’t love them just the same. We do love them regardless. We will do our best to help. That’s what makes us children of God.
Thumbs up. I agree with what you have to say about those who are poor and debt. However, I vehemently disagree with your thoughts on farming. Growing food really isn’t all that hard. It takes effort. I managed to grow a substantial amount of food in pots using Miracle Grow. It just takes patience and attention. Plants (hybrid types) can be purchased at hardware stores for very little and seeds cost even less. Yes, you will not be a commercial farmer overnight; however, that is not the goal. Almost all former relatives I had grew food and farmed/canned. This Wal- Mart/fat-butt/frozen food GMO garbage just started in the last 25 yrs. I understand your frustration, just don’t give people the idea they can’t go out and grow food, because THEY CAN!
I just wish we knew when. A year, a month, a week??? Anybody have an idea??
God Bless you all.
Be Informed: I love reading your comments, thanks and keep us informed.
Nap, sorry but the majority here shy away from projecting dates. Most of us here have heard that siren’s song before.
I think this year is the year. We’ve already seen food prices up by 19% so far. The dollar is dying. We’re on the verge of World War III.
This year should be a big year in the history of Israel. There will be lunar eclipses on Jewish feast days 4 times in a row during 2014 and 2015. The only two times in the 20th century when that happened was starting in 1948 when Israel became a nation and 1967 when Israel recaptured Jerusalem.
Thats the thing with SHTF events,
A natural disaster could happen any time,
Earthquakes, tidal waves, tornado, ice storms, dust storms, floods, volcanic eruptions, drout,
These can also precipitate a financial disaster,
War is what worries me more than anything else,
War and then biological followed by nuclear then everything else…
War and humans are the worst in my mind, humans suck!
KULA:
I give you a Thumbs Up.
Some humans SUCK BIG TIME—BUT
there are some, I THINK THEY WERE SENT BY “GOD”
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.REB
Yep,, I should have said SOME humans suck,,,
There are many who I wouldnt trade for ten tons of gold,,,
You could’ve easily said “MOST humans suck” and still be correct.
Kula, stretched out the REPR lately?
When our kids were little and we were on a drive somewhere they would eventually ask how much longer and I would always say “five more minutes” it didn’t matter if it was five more hours or five seconds, my answer was always the same.
My prediction for when SHTF is……………. five more minutes.
My parents response was always the same too — “You don’t want me to pull this car over…”
My food Pantry is just about stocked up! for some of us with harsh winters it might be a good time to start getting things on clearance to help substain the cold winters in years to come! i’ve learned lots of ways to heat a house with candles and clay pots. 🙂
You can’t heat a house with candles and clay pots. There isn’t enough heat in a candle to do anything. At best you can use it to warm up your hands.
My rooms are not small–15 X 20, etc and some smaller, 12 X 12–I tried that because I had terra cotta pots of various sizes..gee–what a waste of time.
It didn’t even heat our lavatory–8 X 8. 🙁
Now, get a mason jar, a wick, and lard–you got a little heater, but must use about 5 of those to even feel heat in a room.
And if it is 10°outside–fugetaboutit!!
whats up in North Dakota?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NferhxUrzpc
there is a comment in mod, with video
I think they are moving a Nuke in ND
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=NferhxUrzpc
This?
yep
Standard service truck for the silos. We see them all the time. Our major North/South route is 281/52 in North Dakota. Sometimes they have this many escorts sometimes less. It’s the navy blue security trucks that bother me.
They sneak up on you, and seem to be much more jumpy than the Reg. Force guys doing escort.
maybe this?
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/28/356298/us-on-nuclear-false-flag-high-alert/
“Sources indicate that “SNM” has been detected at Israeli embassies and consular facilities. There is, in fact, a “war plan” that includes simultaneous assaults on the worldwide embassy/consular facilities of a TBD (To Be Determined) nation in case of “special circumstances.”
Though no specific mention of Israel is made, the infamous “Samson Option,” Israel’s plan to “take down the world” if threatened and the cryptic statements of Creveld come to mind.”
—It sounds to me like ISRAEL is more of a viable threat to the rest of the world than Russia and China put together…
…so much for “The Chosen” people.
but lets still consider Israel as the chosen people of God—even after they bomb the fuck out of all the rest of us…shall we?
Stock up on a year’s supply of food and other necessities if you haven’t already. Keep as much of your savings in precious metals as you can. Spend as little as you can. Save as much as you can.
Now would be a good time to sell some of the extra stuff you have on craigslist or eBay. I sold an iPad recently on craigslist. Someone is supposed to show up on Tuesday and buy a big aquarium from me for $100. I also need to list a laptop. Desktops are a lot cheaper for the saming performance.
Expect food prices to double this year. Plan accordingly.
“Desktops are a lot cheaper for the saming performance. ” —maybe so, but it’s a lot easier and faster to grab your laptop and go, than it is a desktop….
Got world Saudi Arabia has broken off.
Nope , Obama kissed their ass real good today.
All is well with the saudis .
Except they just pissed off the Israelis, by declaring that they will never recognize Israel as a “Jewish State”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/09/us-israel-palestinians-arabs-idUSBREA280J920140309
What’s that Israel just said about taking the world down…
didn’t kiss it good enough. they cancelled dinner with him. I noticed on the tv coverage that while the saudi prince was talking, he kept cutting his eyes over watching the cameras. what a freaking douche.
word
Besides all of the suggestions by the author;
1# Daily Bible study
2# Build a good relationship with Christ
3# Walk with your hand in His, always
4# Do not fear what others will say about your personal faith.
5# Plan to do both small and great things for His glory if/when the SHTF
6# Stay away from “toxic” people (nonbelievers ect.)
7# Defend the defenseless, feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, care for the sick.
The wisdom of God is foolishness to The World.
Absolutely. I read the Bible in one year a few years in a row. Now I’m halfway through reading the Bible in 6 months. There’s no substitute for daily Bible reading.
Barn Cat,
I believe that you do. I’m certain that your Christian witness has not gone unnoticed up above. Although I disagree with you on a pre-trib rapture, I still consider my brother in Christ.
stay safe.
I will do #7 and even try to help the people on #6,the rest will take a pass on.
Good Advice. There are two things I do each morning–read from the Bible, and go for a morning jog. Those two things set me straight for the working day. I also drive my son to school. It is my 5 minutes with him. As he gets out, I always let him know that I love him….
The F.B.I did a study a few years ago; posing the question; ” What would happen If All Electricity In The United Went Off For One Year’? The results were eye popping. The F.B.I found that if you shut down electricity in the U.S. for 1 year; 90% of ALL Americans are DEAD. REPEAT: 90% OF ALL AMERICANS AFTER 1 YEAR ARE DEAD. So; like the guy said in the movie ” Apollo 13 “; ” Power Is Everything.” QUESTION: What would be the BEST independent power system in an event like that? I’ve been reading this site for over 2.5 years now; and you guys are pretty savy. Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Dave, I’ve been working on alternate power for the last year and have found it not nearly so formidable as it seemed. I have found 1 Kwh wind generators for $500 and built my own for about $250. My calculations indicate, I can run basic home services (no AC, but fans) with 8 100W solar panel ($125 each off ebay, delivered) and 8 deep cycle batteries($110 at Walmart). Current setup produces about 250 w/hour. Each month, I try to add a battery or another panel. Whenthe first 2 solar panels arrived, my son said “you prepearing for the zombie apocalypse ?” I just nodded and smiled, cuz I’m deaf.
Tex the problem I’m having with solar is connecting it into the house wiring. I can run extension chords for now but I can’t seem to be able to simply connect a few chosen circuits. There’s a grounding conflict that I need to resolve. I have a sub-panel for my generator and when I try to plug my solar into it my inverter trips, a lesser quality one would fry. I have 1000 wt of solar panel and a half dozen 6 vt golf cart batteries. If the grid goes down I can still plug in my amp and play music while the Titanic sinks.
RickInOregon, Check your charge controller and you might want to reconfigure to run a 12 volt system. A low power inverter will trip pretty quickly. I have a 600 watt that’s just about useless, an 1100 that’s pretty good and a 3500 watt that rocks. For SHTF, extension cords are fine. I am not going to grid tie for any reason, because “Smart Meters” can be programmed to do what ever they are told.
Just because the FBI says it doesn’t make it true. In this case, I think the FBI is full of shit.
Dave,
You have two choices.
1. Build your prep plan around having NO electrical power.
Mankind managed to survive from the dawn of time until the late 19th century without it, so clearly it can be done. But realize that takes a WHOLE lot of thinking, because nearly everything you depend on from the outside world IS dependent on electric power. That means you will have to produce, or do without, nearly everything you need to survive. Most of that way of thinking has been lost over the last century. That is WHY there will be a 90% death rate ( or higher ).
2. Build yourself some power capacity…..recognizing that is only going to help you to some small degree, as it doesn’t solve the fact the rest of the world won’t have it, and you still aren’t going to get a plate of food from a 1000 miles away anymore.
Solar is the most dependable source (IMHO) for most areas. Wind can be a good resource IF you have wind, but many people think they do, when what they have is a slight breeze. It takes the amount of wind to keep a flag standing straight out to really produce much in the way of wind power. Almost NO PLACE east of the Mississippi has that.
We started, back when solar panels were $4/watt, by building a 2.1kw system, grid tied with battery backup. Expanded it 4 times over the years, and now have a 6kw battery based side, and another 5kw of grid tie only ( using micro inverters ). 11kw altogether total offsets our electric bill use, and we would have 6kw of capacity if the grid went down…..more than enough to run some refrigeration, lights and some appliances. ( We heat with wood, and water heating is propane with wood backup )
BUT I would stress even IF you have some generation capacity, you still need to concentrate on option 1…..because it does no good to have a fridge if you haven’t produced the food to put IN the fridge. And because batteries DO wear out. IF 90% of the world is gone, nobody is going to be working in a battery factory to build you new ones….so at some point, even your electrical generation will be vastly reduced.
I have no interest in solar power because nobody else has it where I live. I live in Wisconsin. I don’t want to stand out.
We have hundreds of candles for light. We have about 200 AA batteries for flashlights and other things. We have AA to USB adapters to charge our tablets and kindle.
I’m racking up debt. Who cares, how are they going to collect if the SHTF?
bad idea
Agreed wrong.
King:
You have a good point. When TSHTF there will be no one to collect on your bills. Now this is after about 2 or 3 months. But the first couple of weeks there will be people out to get everything that they can before it all falls apart. If you can survive this you will be OK.
Also Wrong and Outlaw have a good point.
Let us just say something happens if the next few months and the economy doesn’t collapse. With in the next few months, and it holds up for a couple more years? Then what?
Your call. I hope you are right!
A.S.M.S.
Sgt.
I joked about this above, but seriously, won’t the cc companies cut those off as soon as they realize what is happening with the economy or even worse(and there is worse).
They would be the first to know-them and the banks?/
J J
Very good point, but the CC company are greedy and they will try to get as much out of us as they think they can!
This might just BITE them in the A%^. I hope it dose!
Sgt.
before everything went south in 2007/08, I went to the home depot to get some stuff for a project. I had a cc with a 22000 limit. I had less than 9000 on it, was paying it off after graduating school, but use it for the rewards. Card was swiped and declined. swiped again because i knew i had credit and it declined. I called to see if a fraud alert had been placed on the card. I was told my credit limit was not 7500.00 This was 2 months before Lehman Bros announced bad news. the banks knew, and they reduced limits on many many people. So I wouldn’t count on the credit cards 100%. Citibank just failed their ‘stress test’ by the fed. This ride ain’t gonna last forever.
A lot have posed that exact question before.
One of the ‘theories’ I have seen going around relates to the NDAA of 2012. In the NDAA there is a section for ‘conscripted labor’ that the government can ‘force’ on people as ‘they’ see fit. We all know that the banksters are the best thieves ever created and they will try to get ‘their’ money one way or another.
What if they turn over all debt records to the government and the gov holds people accountable for the massive amounts of debt they have? I know they say ‘debtors prisons’ were abolished hundreds of years ago…but history has a nasty habit of repeating the worst parts, over and over again. Yes, those who rack up huge amounts of debt now are rolling the dice and gambling that they won’t be called on it…but do you really want to take that risk? I would not gamble against history, many have rolled the dice and crapped out.
Yup, it is tempting to use that credit but I think you are spot on Socrates. We will have enough to deal with after the crash without having to stave off former creditors.
Debtor’s Prisons were never really abolished—they just have to come up with some excuse to jail you, but they’ll get their labor off of you regardless…3 years for “driving while suspended” How many 8 hr days is in a year?
Oh yeah, they get theirs. You get a dollar an hour and they keep the rest, and SOMETIMES, they even make you pay off old fines, tickets and child support out of YOU dollar an hour, on top of it all.
They get theirs.
IMO: Wouldn’t do that until necessary (back is against the wall, no other choice) i.e. you’re going to lose your job and need food for a year, ok, use the cc, or, need urgent medical care, ok, use the cc, or use it to pay utilities, etc., but I wouldn’t rack it up AHEAD of time, you don’t know when things will go south for you personally. Just saying, I personally would save the “credit” for when you will really need it to survive.
Timing can be a little tricky, but if you stay up on the news, and keep your ear to the ground at work, you’ll know when something’s up, then protect yourself, but I wouldn’t do it just for *hits & giggle right now, you may run out, and then you have no credit left to use when you REALLY need it.
Wrack it up,,,
It will take months if not years for the cc companies to chase you down, wrack it up and file bankruptcy, unless you have attachable assets, i got none so what are they going to do?
Dirty bastards will think of something Kula. Fuckers!
King,
So what happens if the “SHTF” is just like what is going on right now…..not a BIG BOOM overnight, but a long, slow slide down the economic tube ?
That is the more likely situation. People that lost their homes, farms, possessions, etc in the Great Depression SHTF that went on from 1929 to 1940 would think your plan really IS crazy.
Newt Gingrich’s Plan to Stave Off the Apocalypse
http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/newt-gingrich-s-plan-to-stave-off-the-apocalypse-20140328
the Newt is not one of my favorite politicians
but on this issue I have to back him 10%
and as for Fred Upton ?
that guy sold the country out for 30 pieces of silver
Because with piles of debt if the economy doesn’t come to a grinding halt you will guaranteed. No worries though it looks like it’s going to go apocalyptic.
make that 110%
Just posting this on here for everyone’s info. Some of us have mentioned the 4 blood moons on the horizon. Even if you don’t believe in God or read the bible, please note the following.
John Haggee wrote a great book called “The Four Blood Moons” that dives into the past history of this very unique tetrad that is about to occur starting on April 15th. If you haven’t had a chance to look into this very interesting topic, then I strongly encourage you to do this immediately. It isn’t conspiracy theory stuff…it is based in historical evidence and alligned to biblical events.
Now consider Revelations 6:12-14 “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.”
I also found a unique correlation that seems to occur during lunar eclipses. one of those links can be found here: http://lofi.forum.physorg.com/Can-Lunar-Eclipses-Cause-Earthquakes_39665.html Be informed, I am sure you can ellaborate on this very trend.
There has been an interesting uptick in quake activity (at least in my opinion there seems to be). With the first of the tetrad right around the corner, couldn’t hurt to make sure all your preps are ready.
Believe what you may, but something is coming.
Praying for all of us.
and russia and iran have become buds, supposedly thats gog and magog.
i remain skeptical that this the start of the end as put forth in the bible, but my spidey sense has been tingling for about 6 months now.
however, i am not skeptical that WW3 starts within 3 years. either because obama and the west are so inept or they need a war to get out of their debt problems; or both.
@ kynase. The Foundation for the Study of Cycles did something on earthquakes and the Moon. They found that during the apogee, when the Moon is farthest away quakes increase. Also when the Moon is 4 degrees or more away from the ecliptic, the equator of the sky. Anytime you have an alignment of the Moon Earth and Sun you have additional pull. However it seems that that pull has to be slightly off from being dead direct on to trigger a fault ready to go.
I had read something about that BI, thanks for making it much more clear than what I read did.
I think one of the best courses in preparedness is to cut out expensive HABITS. In other words something you don’t need, try to cut it out. For some people this might be cigarettes. For others it might be wasting money on entertainment. Whatever. Each one of us knows what we can do without. If you can cut this away, you will save money for the necessities.
No Twinkies?? or chocolate bars??? 🙁
I’ll give up farting. But Oly must stay. Sometimes I have to stand my ground….
Be Informed-
I like you posts for the most part. I try to be frugal, sometimes. But most folk, after working 40+ hours a week, need some form of relief. I get great satisfaction from my preps, spent $75 on them today, which is modest, but it was stuff that I should have.
Duct Tape
Lantern Oil
Spare Wicks
5 Gallon Jerry Can
Or was this stuff that I wanted? Hard to tell the difference now, as my supplies climb toward the ceiling.
Anyway, I am drifting. My point is that people need to remember TO LIVE. Do not hole up in a bubble of fear. Yes, I quit smoking, and now I am chubby! Yes we don’t go out as much as I would like, but people need to live! What is it all for if we scrimp and save and put everything toward what may come? I fall in the camp of what will come, but only HE knows the hour. I refuse to live in fear, and my preps are a major part of diminishing or outright eliminating that fear.
LIVE people. Prep over time. Bad habits should go for sure, but remember to live a little.
My .02
Grow your own tobacco,will certainly be a bartanble item or you meet someone who SHTF quit,they will be a very grateful and perhaps helpful person.Most of my entertainment once paid for once fairly cheap,kayaking/fishing,bow&crossbow,target shooting can get pricey,seriously considering a good quality air soft to keep basic skills when wallet cannot fund ammo,will not cut into the emergency supply,unless,well…a real emergency.
Off Topic:
GUN SHOW PRINCETON ILL.
AT THE FAIR GROUND.
LAST ONE OF THE YEAR.
Sgt.
I forgot to tell the days.
29Th and 30Th.
Sgt.
Being prepped is second nature to me now. I have been at it for 35 years or so.
I only worry about not being able to help out others after the SHTF.
I know that me and mine have to come first. I pray this is not being greedy.
The signs are all over the place that something is coming down. I don’t know if it will be man made or mother nature it does not make any differents.
I can not control it so just prepair for the SHTF at any time now.
I have been through two bad storms and lost my job and all of my savings. So I have had a little and I do mean a Little taste of SHTF.
That is why I prepair for that day when I wake up and see that everything has gone to SH#$.
If I can help other people other than my family and my group I will.
This is what I would call the road to real recovery.
Keep your prayers flying.
keep your preps stocked.
keep your powder dry.
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.REB
BI, have you been noticing any increase in Yellowstone/ Colorado activity? Someone on another site mentioned a 3.0 a couple days ago in Yellowstone? Can you clarify….thanks.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
I told everyone that earthquake in Adak, Alaska would increase activity in Yellowstone, which is did like always. The two regions are connected. Yellwostone would not be in any danger from this region in Alaska unless you had a really intense earthquake there. Back last year there was a 6 pointer in Adak and sure enough Yellowstone got real active. Watch this area in Alaska the next time, then watch Yellowstone.
Only a fool would deny that you know your earthquake stuff.
Get the HELL out of the port lane, you bitch, if you’re are going to talk on the phone.
dont ya just love that,,,
I had one today that was texting while driving up the left lane, weaving all over the road, then when I finally got past her while following 3 semis carrying black top, I noticed she had a beer between her legs too and her kids in the back seat! buncha fucking loosers.
I got hit once, years ago. I was in my BIG WHITE CLUBWAGON VAN on a two-lane road. Some idiot was coming the other way, putting her lipstick on in the rear view mirror…she hit me dead on.
Fucked her car up, broke her ankle, but just dented the front fender of my tank…
I wish I could drive around with my other fingers tied back waiting to make my middle finger look longer with a TX grin.
i had an incident the other day myself. i was talking to my brother about the raiders draft picks on my bluetooth phone. well, this girl comes up on my right and starts to drift into MY lane(texting probly), so i gotta be quick to avoid a collision! when i swerve into the next lane over, i dropped my razor into my coffee cup, dumping it all over the crossword puzzle i was working on. some people are just SO inconsiderate!
Some excellent advice in this article about being prepared.
Bu come on, this site and others, has been saying for years, that the economic collapse was imminent. Give me a break.
Sure, it could happen next week. Or 30 years from now. We’re in uncharted waters, and there is no telling how long they can keep this Ponzi Scheme going.
We don’t know, what we don’t know.
Be prepared. But enjoy life as much as you can.
Bingo!
“Be prepared, but enjoy life as much as you can”
Excellent post
lemming, ….and we DO know what we DO know….and we KNOW the MATH says it aint 30 years from now….and it aint 5 years from NOW….it’s SOONER rather than LATER. math is a bitch sometimes, but just like gravity, it’s the LAW! math won’t be dicked with for long, just like gravity.
The Math said it would have collapsed years ago, but it didn’t. If we can be 17 trillion in debt, we can be 34 trillion in debt. We can 50 trillion in debt. Who knows how high it could get.
ok,let’s DO some of the MATH you speak of. it only took 5 years to get the nat. debt from 4.9 billion to 16 trillion, it took 5 years for the debt to TRIPLE. triple 16 billion in how many more years? 5? less?….around 50 trillion in 5 years possible with the dollar getting killed like it is. look at karl denninger’s chart on debt/gdp to see what’s about to happen. those 2 lines are starting to go apart in a BIG way. i aint smart, but i can see it’s not going the right way, and it’s ACCELERATING(the amount we OWE)!
Every day I get up and the whole pile hasn’t collapses, I thank God for another day to prep some more.
Ive been fighting other peoples wars all my life…sometimes , theres wars a man just has to fight for himself. That war is coming my friends.
So many are not ready, so many think they are, others are not even aware.
Blessed are the meek , as they shall inherit the world, but until then..its time to clean up this mess. I just wonder when its going to start.
Forgive me Lord, as they do not know what they are asking for.
HOW ABOUT A JOKE???
SIPPING VODKA
A new Priest at his first mass was so nervous he could hardly speak. After mass he asked the Monsignor how he had done.
The Monsignor replied, “When I am worried about getting nervous on the pulpit, I put a glass of vodka next to the water glass. If I start to get nervous, I take a sip.”
So next Sunday he took the Monsignor ‘ s advice. At the beginning of the sermon, he got nervous and took a drink. He proceeded to talk up a storm.
Upon his return to his office after the mass, he found the following note on the door:
1) Sip the vodka, don ‘ t gulp.
2) There are 10 commandments, not 12.
3) There are 12 disciples, not 10.
4) Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.
5) Jacob wagered his donkey, he did not bet his ass.
6) We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C..
7) The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as Daddy, Junior and the Spook.
8) David slew Goliath; he did not kick the shit out of him..
9) When David was hit by a rock and was knocked off his donkey, don ‘ t say he was stoned off his ass.
10) We do not refer to the cross as the ‘ Big T. ‘
11) When Jesus broke the bread at the last supper he said, “Take this and eat it for this is my body.” He did not say,”Eat me.”
12) The Virgin Mary is not called ‘ Mary with the Cherry ‘ .
13) The recommended grace before a meal is not: Rub-A-Dub-Dub thanks for the grub, Yeah God.
14) Next Sunday there will be a taffy pulling contest at St. Peter ‘ s not a peter pulling contest at St. Taffy ‘ s.
breaking news in so cal hi desert. just felt a pretty strong but very short earthquake.
5.1 Earthquake or a little higher on the same fault, the Whittier/Elsinore fault that broke back on Oct. 1, 1987 with a 6.1 or 5.9 depending on the seismic source. This fault is very dangerous and capable of levelling Temecula for example.
Bet you squeezed the “doom” right out of your moniker.
naw PO’d, i been livin’ here for decades, and they don’t scare ME, but i DO respect them. i live in the high desert, 100 miles from the beach. there are 30 bridges to cross between me and the beach, so if we have a REAL earthquake, even though i DO have my hiking boots in the car at ALL times, i will probly not make it home. it’s one of the reasons i preach to people to keep a towstrap(not a chain) in yer car, with a way to attach the towed AND the towing vehicle to the strap. with a couple 3 to 6 foot long 6×6’s to cross obstacles like a ditch or ruts or big potholes, you will have to be very creative with your 4wheeling skills to get around all those downed bridges….prep like a muhfugguh!
I only know survival, I was born into it literally. My mother died the same hour she gave me birth. Two years later my father passed away. I became property of the state of California. I lived in foster homes along with several different orphanages. I had one good year at the age of 12 my grandmother was able to become a citizen. She came from across the border. She had me for a year, then she too passed away and again I became property of the state of California. I was moved to several different foster homes. Over 40 that I can remember, the others I was too young. I hate the whole system it is screwed up, the people that take in children, are not doing it for the right reasons. I know now that they were doing it to get government help. Along with it checks, and food stamps. They cared very little for the children that they had in their homes. They did care about their own children, but very little for those that were outsiders living in their homes. The last home I lived in was a nightmare, the man living in that house was a child molester and eventually he became a murderer too. Long story, but I slept with a kitchen knife under my pillow because of him. He murdered a little girl named Maggie who I actually liked and who I had taken on as a little sister. She too was in the same boat as me. I was not there to defend her. I was locked away in a juvenile detention centre for having stabbed the son of a bitch that killed her. He had her all to himself and he took advantage of it. Anyway he was cornered after being caught and he blew his own brains out. They let me out a week after they found out what kind of guy I kept telling the social worker he was and the reason I had stabbed him was to defend myself. Anyway I became emancipated at the age of 16. I roamed around and actually lived not far from skid row under a bridge. I then took the advice of oddly enough hobos who took me in and helped me to get on a better track of life. I started working and stayed like that to this day. I no longer live in California, I hate it. I hate Catholics and nuns, they are vile and evil. I hate foster homes and the government bureaucracy. I hate child molesters. I hate tattoos, (long story) I hate the whole system. I hate that this is happening now and the only real help that I can offer other kids that are going through the same thing is to get motorcycle gangs to go and visit the homes of these foster parents and let them know that the kids they have in their home better not be hurt or else. I know people. You get to meet many different people and in different circumstances, and you get to see what people are like and who they really are. Survival is a bitch. Soon America will be face to face with that bitch, I can see it coming.
Welcome and thanks for telling your story,,,
Good to be reminded from time to time of the crap thats out there, is real easy to get caught up in our own lives and not see our surroundings,
I agree on the catholic thing, am a recovering catholic, had it shoved down my throat a as a kid, locked in a closet in 1st grade every day, then beat because i blew chunks in there every time after three weeks of that and nobody believed me.
The people who sang the loudest in church were adulterers and cattle rustlers and thieves, but I was going to be damned to eternal hell for stealing a pack of gum.
Anyway, have a good one.
To ~ CanRelatetoDarllfromWalkingDead ~ Thank you for sharing your story. It helps to open ones eyes and to see anothers life view. You are not a victim or a survivor, you are an Overcomer. You have been through tough and rough times, (I am sure that is an understatement to you) I am glad you are living your life the way you see fit. I too hate tattoos.
I too Hate California. I lived there for 5 years and I was Unimpressed. I am unfamiliar with foster homes,
but you lived through it, and called it on being
a gov. bureaucracy/racket. I do hate all forms of gov.
bureaucracy. Pat yourself on you back. You have
overcome much. You have your head screwed on straight.
I wish you continued success, and I hope as time goes on,
you will be able to touch and help others with your knowledge. One more thing ~ there is a site called,
The White House boys. The horror these young boys and teenagers went through in Florida, reminds me of what you went through in the past. Again, thank you for sharing your story. I wish you continued success in all your endeavors.
@ eppe. If you would and others would like to see how the 5 pointer affected southern California, click on the earthquake, then click on the shake map on this link. This also shows the faultline that runs from almost downtown LA to almost the Mexico border. This is a very dangerous thrust fault and one of the faults I have warned about possibly going after the San Andreas breaks. It is capabale of a mid to high 7 range if the whole fault broke.
i’m prepared !
i have-
a cabinet of water,
a cabinet of soup,
a cabinet of chili,
a cabinet of liquor
and two drawers full of bullets !
OPSEC…..careful someone might want what’s in your pair of drawers…..
Damn PO’d, now I’ve got to relocate my baseball card collection…
i got popcorn!…and a good seat to watch it all from.
Could it happen here?
Public Security Ministry destroys record number of guns.
President Laura Chinchilla and Public Security Minister Mario Zamora donned safety glasses to bring a circular saw down on the last two firearms destroyed out of tens of thousands Wednesday in what authorities say was the largest single destruction of weapons in Costa Rican history.
In total, authorities destroyed 21,318 firearms and incinerated 872,882 small-caliber ammunitions.
ticotimes.net/2014/03/28/public-security-ministry-destroys-record-number-of-guns
No way here!
NOMI should we give!
Hey–did anyone ever think that all those with excessive gun supplies would be bartering for all that excessive food I have stored?
Sounds like a deal to me.
I actually couldn’t get a guy cleaning my propane heater to divulge the number of guns he has. At 100 I stopped guessing.
AND Kentucky has a 47.7 % rate of population of gun owners.
We are # 11 of 50 states.
Gee—that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. 🙂
This article is good advice. However now Im going to complain. Have worked hard climbing “the ladder” only to have it knocked out from under me. I am the only bread winner in a family of five. Wife is disabled, and recieves ‘so-so security”. constantly have to deal with those goons telling me how much is to much, (which aint much) cause “there is no inflation”. Still try to prepare, but difficult that the wife feels it aint gonna happen. I try to convince her, and I think she just doesnt want to see. Common core is making my kids stupid. Would move far away, but uncle sugar xoesnt want that either. live in the damn desert so my garden only grows so far. Previous metals? I cant eat a gold bar, and neither will the guy I barter with when shtf. Only metal I really invest in is lead I can feed to others. Still have faith, but loosing hope. Maybe that was the plan all along. A slow death, less resistance when the jack booted thugs come. All i can do is “keep calm and carry on”. Waiting with baited breath………..
Hang in there,,,
I start feeling things are hopeless too because im surrounded by people who dont want to talk about what is going on and all live in a self obsessed bubble.
Best times are when im alone in the fields or out hiking around, can hear myself thinking then without the naysayers.
Dead Meat–you are in my prayers dude.
Dead Meat. We are all in the same boat. Prepping is nothing more than an investment. You need to look at prepping as a positive and not something negative. We USA folks have been dumbed-downed. In the past, folks looked at food storages and gardens as wise. Today they look at it as foolishness. Don’t look down; keep your chin up.
After being off fighting cancer . I figured I would check in and see how everyone was doing . I see that pretty much everyone has survived all of the nonsense that has progressed over the time I have been gone . To reply to the forum ,I have done much research about the growing of gardens over the past years and have gotten very good at it . The first thing needed is a soil analisys after that you can begin to see where you are at and make the nessacery adjustments . The biggest thing that I have found is neptunes harvest as it has allowed me to eliminate the use of commercial fertilizers . Plus the up side is we get bigger and better growth of the plants , healthier plants means a better fruit ,bigger harvests , better for you . Plus there are no cancer causing chemicals in this stuff . So there you have it that’s my 2 cts
And folks, stop using that Roundup–vinegar and water with a little salt will take care of the weeds.
You’re killing our life-sustaining bees!!! Dammit!! 🙁
The thing about preps is you do it, and then you get back to living a rich and rewarding life. It is your backstop if something happens but you should not obsess over it and live a calamity lifestyle.
Regarding debt, the most important reason for staying out of debt is power. There are many scenarios where debt will eat you up in a thousand different ways long before the system collapses (debt collectors, government and employers making being debt-free conditional for getting a job, maintaining a good credit rating etc.). In an shtf, those owed money could easily hire the local thugs to go around and collect from the indebted and/or make them effectively slaves.
Now, here are some real-world preps that will offend many but are based on what happens in a real crisis and can be found in many places around the world:
1) Beauty and sex: These are strong commodities in a crisis and offer many business opportunities. The sex trade will always do well.
2) Security: People always need security and more so in a shtf. Be the guys who offer the security, and you will be minted. No surprise Putin got his start in security.
3) Credit: Now you are debt-free, you have assets, start being a ‘Shylock’: lend it out in partnership with your friends in point number 2. Do it like this: keep 3/4s of your wealth out of the lending game. Then split the 25 per cent into knowable loss rate (deadbeats who will rip you off etc.). Then collect on the remaining 15% using muscle and never give up until you either get the money back or get in-kind things in return (property, somebody’s daughter, food etc.).
Maple Syrup Day!!! Saturdays are the best! When the shit hits will Saturdays still be considered a day off? Sleep in, cartoons, pancakes, bacon…. Back to bed for a short nap…
I’ve been following this site for years, and cashed in my retirement account to buy silver – which sunk and I lost 25%.
Same old news, doom and gloom, nothing ever happens.
I laugh now at these headline, what a gimmick!
Christine – You haven’t lost 25% at all unless you sold it already. Silver is an investment in your future. I did the same thing back in 06. It took me a while to realize to look at it from another view point. If you still have it you haven’t lost a cent. Be patient. You’ll be rewarded in the long run.
As long as you had food for years, water accessibility and purifier, hygiene supplies for years, and everything that you use daily for a long time–you are okay.
Wish I had some silver, but I just have this little voice that tells me to hold on to my cash for property taxes.
Yeah, the mortgage is important–but will those companies put 100 million on the street leaving those homes empty for looters and vagrants to abuse, damage, and possibly set fire to??
Nope–they are greedy bastards, but they aren’t stupid when it comes to their investments.
Now, the tax assessors are another sorry entity in the scheme of things.
JayJay, there are many articles out there, about the millions of families thrown out of their homes after the housing bubble broke in ’08, ’09. Even more articles follow what happened to those empty homes. Vagrants squatted in them, pests and animals took them over as they decayed to abandoned nuisances.
My point is,since it is the LAND and not the home that sits on it that is valuable, banksters will have no problem ousting families and leaving the houses to rot. It’s that much less they’ll have to tear down to build a new mini-mall…
Christine:
If you did not sell your silver then you have not lost any thing.
I started buying silver when it was $8.00 an oz. all the way to $40 and oz. I’m still buying it.
Now it it is running around $21 to $22 and oz. I still have all of it. As long as you still hold it in your hand you are not out anything.
Silver is an investment into and for the future and it might be one of the metals you will be able to buy anything with some day soon.
With that said, YOu said “same old new’s, doom and gloom, nothing ever happens.
Well, First of all I’m glad nothing real bad has happened, I have used my preps 3 times , 2 storms and I lost a job 21 years ago and I was out of work for 3 months and I took a part time job for 6 months. Been fully employeed for 21 years now. Thank the LORD.
The same old news really is not the same as when I started prepairing. I can and will tell you that the news IS GETTING WORSE. I’ve been prepairing since the late 1970’s.
Now for the doom and gloom you are talking about. I don’t see us talking about doom and gloom, it’s more like PREPAIR AND LIVE.
When we talk about different problems and solutions to those problems. All we are doing is try to find out how we can fix things for the better. AND WE ARE TRYING HERE TO TEACH SELF RELIANCE.
I look at being prepaired as an insurance plan for the future. I do not know what the future holds for me so I’m being a good Boy Scout, as the moto goes “alway be prepaired”.
My food stock gettes rotated.
My silver is an investment for the future (retirement).
My other goodies I camp out with, hunt with and fish with.
My gardening tools and seeds are used for planting my fresh yummy veggies.
My saws are for cutting fire wood for now and later.
My hand tools are for repair and hobbies around the house.
My chickens are for eegs and meat. and to entertain my grandkids.
If it is all a gimmick, and I have all this stuff , I will not be spending much money on food or entertainment.
If the SHTF I’ll be a hole lot better off than soneone that did not prepair.
If the dollar does bit the dust I’ll still have money and if it doesn’t I’ll still have money.
If anything is left over after I die, my boys can have it I sure want need any of it.
I understand that the Lord supplies all the equipment I’ll need to catch that 25lbs. Bass and bag that 30 point Buck !:-).
So hang in there young lady , it looks like it just might be a very wild ride comming soon.
S.T.S.F.P. N.R. N.S. N.REB
You tell ’em Reb..I just sealed two quarts of dehydrated onions.
Tomorrow, more potaotes.
Nothing should be wasted. Not in these times with droughts making it hard for all the farmers.
Mutt & Jeff
John Lee Hooker. Hard Times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP2bumHNLs8
“sunt’in I got to do. I know it’s wrong”
hone yo’ blues bone…
Well, I have been prepping for years and it’s coming, we just don’t when, that’s why prepping is such a good “hobby” and “lifestyle” to have.
http://www.shtfpreparedness.com/
I would respectfully replace item #4 with “guns and ammo”. You can’t eat metals, no matter how precious they are, and when TSHF, only food and protection of your food and family will matter. Metals are irrelevant.
Everyone should always be prepared. It doesn’t mean you need to live in a bunker, but some people go to the store everyday for dinner. How bright is that? It’s not even an efficient way to live your life.